To Live Again
by Millemini
Summary: Be warned, this story is VERY AU. If you don't like AU, don't read it! Auggie is a software engineer, paralyzed after a skiing accident. He works from home, has been sort of recluse since his accident. Annie, a freelance writer & translator, is assigned to work with him. They become friends and as they grow closer Annie gets Auggie to live again. NOW COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_**I know several of you are eagerly awaiting an update on "The Volunteer". I'm sorry, but the muse has taken a bit of a left turn this week. I hope to have something for you soon.**_

_**Be warned; this story is VERY much an AU story. Auggie is not blind, he's a paraplegic, in a wheelchair. The idea for this story was triggered by an encounter with an old friend of mine earlier a few weeks back. We'd lost touch and I had no idea he'd broken his back in a skiing accident a few years back and was now in a wheelchair. Turns out he's got a new job and he moved back to town. We've been rekindling our friendship lately and his attitude and positive take on life reminds me of Auggie. **_

**_I think that a very important part of Annie and Auggie's relationship is her acceptance of him and his disability, treating him like an equal, rather than someone 'special' and it's one of the things I hope to explore a bit in this story. _**

**_Okay, enough rambling from me. I'm really nervous about posting this one, but I hope you like it. :o)_**

_**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Auggie, Annie or Covert Affairs. Just my own storyline.**_

* * *

**August "Auggie" Anderson**_ - Computer engineer at Murphy Software. Paralyzed and after a skiing accident three years ago. Works from his home in Tyson's Corner, just outside Washington DC._

**Anne Catherine "Annie" Walker**_ - Travel writer and translator. Works freelance. Rents an office in Tyson's Corner. Lives in her sister's guesthouse in Georgetown._

**-Chapter 1-**

Auggie checked the time. 12:30 pm. He'd been so immersed in the project he was working on that he'd forgotten to take breaks and he felt a slight pounding in the back of his head. He realized that he needed something to eat and some fresh air. He released the brakes on his wheelchair and headed for the front door. He paused briefly to grab his wallet, keys and iPhone from the table by the door before he left his house and headed for the café a few blocks down the road. The ten minutes it took him to get there meant getting some much needed fresh air. As he entered the café he sighed. The place was crowded; and there was only one free table, way in the back. He realized getting there would be virtually impossible for him. For a second he considered ordering something to go and just eat in the park across the street, but as he scanned the room for the second time he stopped; the pretty blonde he'd had an eye on since she'd started coming in regularly a few months back was sitting alone at a table at the front. In a spur of the moment he turned his wheelchair and headed toward her table.

"Excuse me," he said as he reached her table, he couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. She put the newspaper she was reading down and looked at him with a questioning look on her face.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I sit with you? This place is crowded and the only free table's way in the back. Getting back there is virtually impossible for me." Auggie felt a tinge of embarrassment as he asked. He never liked to admit the limitations his disability gave him.

"Oh, not at all. Let me get this chair out of your way," she said as she moved the free chair so Auggie could get to the table.

"Thanks," he replied with a grateful smile. "I'll just grab a sandwich and a cup of coffee, I'll be right back."

Auggie turned and headed back to the counter where he ordered his regular large black coffee and a Club Sandwich. As always the waitress handed him his order on a tray and he placed it on his lap and headed back to the table. When he got back there he placed the tray on the table, positioned himself and secured the brakes on his wheelchair with practiced movements.

"I guess should introduce myself. Auggie Anderson," he said with a smile as he extended his right hand across the table after he was all settled in.

"Annie Walker. Nice to meet you Auggie," she replied with a smile.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you. I appreciate it," he said as he took a sip of his coffee.

"No need to thank me. I don't mind the company; I like meeting new people. To be completely honest I've seen you here before, but I've just not managed to work up the courage to approach you."

"Oh really?" Auggie said with a smile, cocking his eyebrow. He wasn't about to admit that he'd had an eye on her for a while as well.

"Mhm…" Annie nodded fervently and took another sip of her coffee. "I think you're cute."

Auggie couldn't believe his ears. Annie found him attractive?

"Really?" he asked, slight disbelief lacing his voice.

"Yeah, I mean you gotta be aware of the fact that you're not exactly hard on the eyes."

Auggie laughed. He'd never thought of himself as especially handsome, but he was aware that his looks weren't exactly against him. Ever since his accident his wheelchair seemed to be what people noticed about him, everything else seemed to fade into the background. That Annie hadn't mentioned his disability once intrigued him.

"Okay, there's no right answer to that one," he said with a self-conscious chuckle. He decided to fess up. "I guess I should admit I've had an eye on you for a while too."

"You have?" It was Annie's turn to be surprised.

"Yeah, but I haven't been able to come up with a feasible excuse for approaching you 'till today."

"Good thing the place was crowded today then," Annie said with a smile. "Do you work in the area?"

"Sort of. I live about 10 minutes down the road and work from home. I come here for lunch a couple of times a week when I feel the need for some fresh air and stretching my legs, so-to-speak."

"What do you work with?" Annie asked.

"I'm a software engineer."

"Really? I wouldn't have pinned you for a computer geek."

"Oh? Why not? I'm not nerdy enough?" Auggie said with a small laugh.

"You're not exactly the stereotypical geek. You're too fit and dress too well." Annie blushed a bit as she realized she'd just admitted she'd paid attention to details like his attire and physique.

"You really have been keeping an eye on me, haven't you?"

The last comment caused Annie's face to go completely red. Auggie laughed.

"Well, what about you? Do you live in the area?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

"No, I live in Georgetown. I've rented an office out here for the last few months. I'm a freelance writer and translator, for the past few years I've been writing travel pieces, which has given me the opportunity to travel a lot."

"That sounds pretty cool," Auggie said, trying to swallow the tinge of jealousy that crept up on him. After he graduated college he'd planned on travelling, but Murphy Software had recruited him and he'd moved to DC to work and immersed himself in his work. A few months later his accident had happened and his plans had been drastically changed.

"It's not as fun as it might sound. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love to travel, but travel for work isn't always fun. It usually means flying coach, staying at cheap hotels and running around like crazy, trying to cover as much as possible in a short time. It's not as glamorous as it sounds and it sure isn't the same as going somewhere on vacation."

"Isn't that the way it is? We tend to think some things are so much more fun and glamorous than they really are."

"I guess so. I'm hoping to get more translation assignments and cut back on the travel a bit. I'm getting fed up with spending more time travelling than at home."

They chatted for a few more minutes while they finished their coffees and Auggie checked the time and realized he was running late for a conference call.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I had such a good time that I lost track of time. I've got a conference call in fifteen minutes, so I've got to get back to my office. It was nice meeting you Annie."

"Nice meeting you too Auggie. Maybe we'll run into each other here again," Annie said as she placed her newspaper in her tote and got to her feet. Auggie was already out on the sidewalk by the time Annie reached the door.

"I sure hope so," he said with a wink as he turned around and set off down the street in an impressive speed. Annie couldn't help admiring his toned upper body.

* * *

When Auggie got back to his house ten minutes later he was mentally kicking himself for not getting Annie's phone number. He'd realized his mistake when he was about halfway home, but he didn't have the time to turn back. He also realized that by the time he'd get back to the café she'd probably be back in her office and he only knew that it was 'just around the corner'. Annie was different than the girls he normally hooked up with; she was intelligent and funny, and she didn't seem to care about his disability.

His social life had been pretty low key for the past three years. A generous insurance payout following his accident had allowed him to buy the spacious single-level house on a big lot in Tysons Corner and his employer had allowed him to work from home. He had a few friends, but he mostly communicated with them through Facebook, Twitter and some emails. They were all scattered across the country, so they rarely saw each other in person. Most of his family lived in the Chicago area and ever since his accident the relationship had been strained. He kept loosely in touch with a couple of his brothers and his parents, but it was mostly out of courtesy for birthdays and Christmas. With a sigh he turned into his office and settled in behind his desk. Hopefully he'd run into Annie again at the diner the next time he went there to have lunch. Just as he secured the brakes on his wheelchair the phone on his desk started ringing. He pushed the thoughts about Annie out of his head and picked up the receiver and answered the call, forcing his mind to go back into work mode.

* * *

The following week Auggie went down to the café for lunch every day, but to his disappointment he didn't run into Annie once. When he returned to his house after lunch the Thursday after he first met her he let a heavy sigh escape his lips. He went into his office and settled in behind his desk again, opening Outlook to see what had dumped into his inbox during the hour he'd been out. He scrolled down past a few internal memos he'd get to later and then an email from his boss got his attention. It was highlighted as important; the subject line read "New assignment", nothing else. Auggie opened it and started reading.

_To: August D. Anderson ( )_

_From: Arthur Campbell ( )_

_Subject: New assignment_

_Starting Monday July 25__th__ you will be working with a translator on adapting our latest software for global markets. I'm very happy to tell you that we've managed to hire one of the most renowned translators in the business. Ms. Walker has excellent references from her previous employers and is native fluent in German, French and Spanish. _

_Ms. Walker will arrive at your residence 9 am Monday morning and you're expected to have a workspace set up for her in your office. If this isn't an acceptable arrangement for you we'll set up an office for both you at our D.C. office. As you know the offices are fully wheelchair accessible and you'd get your own assigned parking space. Let me know your decision by the end of the day._

_Arthur Campbell, CEO Murphy Software_

Ten minutes later Auggie read through the email from his boss for the fifth time. It still staid the same and wasn't thrilled about what he was reading. He realized he didn't have much of a choice in the matter; Arthur didn't leave room for argument in his message. Auggie quickly decided that he preferred having this Ms. Walker come to his house. The thought of commuting in and out of D.C. every day was not appealing, especially since he had no timeline on the project, except that he was well aware that it would be a major one and that it would take several months.

* * *

Auggie had already been up and working for a couple of hours when the doorbell rang. He pulled up the surveillance camera stream on the computer screen in front of him. He was surprised to see Annie from the café standing outside his front door. Then it hit him; she'd told him her last name was Walker and she'd mentioned working as a freelance translator in addition to writing. Because Arthur hadn't mentioned Ms. Walker's first name he hadn't connected the two. A smile spread across his face as he headed for the front door. Maybe the coming months wouldn't be so bad after all. Auggie unlocked the door and opened it.

"Annie! Or do you prefer Ms. Walker?" he asked with a grin. She looked as surprised as he'd felt when he saw her on the screen.

"Oh my God! I can't believe this," she exclaimed.

"Small world I guess," Auggie said as he moved back a few feet to allow Annie to enter. "Come on in."

"No kidding! I was so nervous when I drove over here today. If I'd known the mysterious Mr. Anderson that insists on working from home was you it would've saved me lots of nerves. I pictured an old grumpy guy," Annie said as she walked inside with a wheelie bag in tow. She closed and locked the door and turned back to Auggie. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks. Follow me, I guess we should get set up in the office," he said as he headed down the hallway.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

A couple of hours later Annie had her things set up on the spare desk in Auggie's office. To his relief Annie didn't seem to be the chatty type, at least not while working, when he'd turned his attention back to work, she followed suit and dove into her work too. They worked in comfortable silence and it was almost 1 in the afternoon when Auggie realized he was starving. He looked over at Annie. She seemed to be deeply focused on her work.

"Um Annie?" he said, a bit hesitantly. He didn't want to interrupt if she was focusing on something.

"Yeah?" she looked at him with an expectant look on her face.

"Are you hungry? I know I'm ready for lunch."

"No that you mention it, I'm starving. Café?"

"Nah, follow me," he said as he pushed away from his desk and headed out of the room. A few moments later they entered his big, well-equipped kitchen.

"Wow, this is some kitchen. Looks like you have every toy available in here."

"I actually like to cook, so when I adapted the kitchen to my needs when I bought the house I splurged on a few things. I don't use them as much as I should though. I rarely have company over and cooking big meals for just me is kinda ridiculous."

"Well, what's for lunch?" she said as Auggie pulled out a drawer that turned out to be a refrigerator and started rummaging through it. He pulled out several items and placed them in his lap and brought them with him to the counter opposite of the refrigerator.

"I grilled some chicken breasts and made a batch of Caesar dressing last night. How does Caesar salad sound to you?"

"Sounds delicious," Annie said with a smile. "Anything I can do to help?"

"You can wipe off the table out on the patio and set it," Auggie said as he pointed toward the sliding doors at the end of the kitchen. "Everything you need should be in the drawers to the left of the sink. Use the pasta bowls, they work for salad as well."

"Okay, got it," Annie said as she headed over to the sink and grabbed a washcloth. Auggie turned his attention back to prepping the salad.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"How did you end up working from home?"

"It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement when I returned to work after I finished my rehab. There was a bit of a wait for my adapted car to be delivered and Arthur allowed me to work from home for a while. Then it was clear that I was just as efficient working from home as when I came into the office every day Arthur allowed me to keep working from here."

"Doesn't it get lonely?"

"Sometimes it does. I go into the office for meetings from time to time, or I participate via Skype or phone. I miss is the social part of going to work from time to time, but at the same time it's great to not have to drive to DC everyday. I also have the freedom to adjust my schedule as I want, it's not like I have to be in the office from 9 to 5, although I usually am. I try to be structured and keep work hours and off hours separate."

"I know what you mean, working freelance can be a bit lonely at times, but at the same time I like the freedom. Everything has its pros and cons I suppose. I love the freedom that comes with freelancing, but I miss having co-workers and the predictability of full time employment."

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. I remember right after I started working from home I loved not having to dress up every day, but a rather awkward Skype session with Arthur and a couple of other guys in the office changed that."

"What happened?" Annie's curiosity was piqued.

"I'd overslept and because putting on pants takes a bit longer from me than a person with working legs I just put on a dress shirt and figured my lower body would be disguised by my desk. Unfortunately I'd left a thumb drive with the project we were discussing on the desk you're using so I had to go get it. It was pretty embarrassing when I backed away from the desk, revealing I was wearing a dress shirt and boxers."

"Seriously? I would've been mortified."

"I was. Especially when Arthur ended the call with 'Anderson, put on some pants next time, okay?'"

Annie burst out laughing and it only took Auggie a few seconds to join in. The apprehension he'd felt when he woke up that morning was washed away, instead he was looking forward to working with Annie for the next few months.

* * *

**So, I know this is very AU, but I hope A&A aren't too OOC.** _**Is this a story you're interested in reading more of? **__**I have a second chapter in the works, it's pretty much ready to publish. A third one is well under way in my mind and some of it is written down already. **_

_**If you like (or dislike) please let me know in a **_**_review :o)_**

**_As always; as long as it's constructive criticism is welcome!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all; I've been trying all week to kick the "Volunteer-muse" back into gear, but she just isn't willing to work with me at the moment. I'm so sorry for that, but I hope something comes to me soon.**

**I'm truly humbled and grateful for the warm reception this story has received. I was pretty nervous about posting something so AU and I'm glad to hear I've managed to capture A&A's voices. Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites. :o)**

**Also a big thank you to my buddy that inspired this story. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything, just love to play with my favorite TV characters.**

* * *

**-Chapter 2-**

"Annie, I was wondering if you'd like to stay for dinner tomorrow," Auggie asked a Thursday afternoon a couple of weeks into their assignment. They worked well together, and their conversations over lunch ranged from silly banter to more serious discussions. Auggie was surprised about how much he enjoyed the time he spent with Annie and he really wanted to get to know her better outside of work.

"Oh, sure, that sounds nice," Annie said, looking up from the page she was working on. "Maybe we could watch a movie after dinner? I've wanted to see 'The Hunger Games' forever, but I never made it to the theatre. I bought it on Blu-ray a couple of days ago, I can bring. It if you want to see it of course. Are you in to that kind of movies?"

"I've been wanting to see that too, so that sounds great. I liked the book, all three of them actually." Auggie had actually thought about seeing it while it was still running at the local theatre, but by the time he got around to it the movie was showing on one of the smaller screens where the wheelchair accessible seats weren't great and he'd just dropped it and decided to wait for the Blu-ray.

"It's a deal then. I'll bring the movie and popcorn!" Annie replied cheerily. "Buttered or salted popcorn?"

"Buttered if that's okay with you. Oh, I have a guest room, so you can stay the night if you want to. That way we can share a bottle of wine or have a few beers and you won't have to worry about driving back to Georgetown late at night."

"Want to get me drunk Mr. Anderson?" Annie asked in a slightly teasing tone.

"Nope, it's just an offer. It's completely up to you." Auggie hoped he hadn't pushed his luck. Annie sensed his insecurity.

"I'm just kidding Auggie. I'd love to stay over, thanks for offering. I wasn't looking forward to driving home late at night."

A wave of relief washed over Auggie. "Great. Oh, how do you feel about spicy food by the way?"

"I like it. What are you planning to cook?"

"Chicken Tika, I love Indian food. I have some chicken marinating in the fridge and I found a recipe for a sauce I want to try. I hope you don't mind being my guinea pig."

"I can think of worse things Auggie. So far everything you've served me has been delicious. I think you should meet my sister. She's a caterer."

"I'm sure your caterer sister is a better cook than me. For some strange reason I enjoy cooking, sort of weird, I know."

"Why is it weird? I wish I was half as capable in the kitchen as you are. I'm such a klutz when it comes to cooking."

Auggie shrugged. "I dunno… It's not a very masculine hobby," he said self-consciously. "If the guys on my high school wrestling team knew about it they'd really give me a hard time about it."

"There is plenty of male celebrity chefs. Don't try to tell me Gordon Ramsay isn't masculine. And who cares what your high school buddies think?"

"Okay, okay…you're right." Auggie laughed and shook his head before he turned his attention back to work.

* * *

Auggie loaded the disc into his Blu-ray player and grabbed the remote that was sitting on top of it, before he turned and came back to the couch. Annie watched as he tossed the remote onto the couch before he transferred from his wheelchair to the couch in one smooth move. With a contented sigh he settled against the soft pillows and grabbed the remote. "Ready Ms. Walker?"

"Yep. We've got beers and popcorn within reach. Hit play," she said with a grin as she reached for the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

A couple of hours later Annie was curled up in her corner of the couch, fast asleep. Her feet were resting against Auggie's right thigh. He gently patted her foot.

"Hey Annie, the movie just finished."

"Huh…" Annie sat up with a confused look on her face, rubbing her eyes. "Sheesh, did I pass out? What time is it?"

Auggie glanced at his watch. "Almost 1 at night. I guess it's bedtime."

"Yeah, I think I'm more tired than I thought I was."

"Well, it has been a pretty intense week, but I'm happy with how much we've got done," Auggie said. Annie might be a great translator, but her computer knowledge was very limited and she'd struggled to get a grasp on all the unfamiliar terms. Auggie had spent the first week giving her an introduction to the basics and she was finally getting the hang of things.

"Me too. We made some great progress and I'm finally starting to understand this computer stuff. I know you were getting frustrated with me last week."

"Where did you get that idea? I know has been a pretty steep learning curve for you. I'm actually impressed about how fast you've gotten the hang of things, considering how clueless you were." Auggie said with a smile as he settled back into his wheelchair and gathered the half empty bowl of popcorn and their empty beer bottles from the coffee table and headed for the kitchen. Annie followed him and watched as he dumped the remaining popcorn in the trash, put the bowl in the dishwasher and rinsed the beer bottles before he placed them in the recycling bin. With that done they headed for the bedrooms in the back of the house and bid each other good night. As the guest room door closed behind Annie Auggie couldn't help smiling as he turned and headed for his bedroom. It had been a long time since he'd spent a relaxed Friday evening with a friend and he realized he missed that part of his life more than he thought.

* * *

Saturday morning Auggie woke up early and after a quick shower he decided to skip shaving and pulled on a pair of shorts and a worn t-shirt, his favorite summer weekend attire. As he settled into his wheelchair his thoughts drifted to Annie; he wondered if she wanted to spend the day with him or if she had other plans. He decided to ask her over breakfast and headed for the kitchen to get started on some food. When he passed the guest bath down the hall he heard the shower running; Annie was up.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Fifteen minutes later Annie exited the guest room. She was casually dressed in a knee length summer dress and she was barefoot when she padded down the hall toward the kitchen.

"Good morning," she said as she entered the room.

"Morning, sleep well?" Auggie greeted her cheerfully while vigorously whisking eggs.

"Very. The bed is incredibly comfortable."

"Good to hear. Ready for some breakfast?"

"Absolutely, I'm starving! What are you making?"

"Just some scrambled eggs with chopped fresh herbs and toast. Is that okay with you?" Auggie instantly regretted that he hadn't asked Annie about her breakfast preferences before they went to bed the previous night.

"Sounds absolutely delicious. You're a regular Jamie Oliver, aren't you?" Annie said with a laugh.

"Oh har! Would you mind starting a pot of coffee and setting the table?" Auggie laughed and shook his head as he placed the bowl with whisked eggs on his lap and moved over to the stove where the butter in the pan was starting to sizzle.

"Of course not. Want me to set the table out on the patio?" Annie said as she noticed that the sliding door was open.

"Yep, I went out to check a few minutes ago and it's sunny and pretty warm outside, we better take advantage of the heat while we've got it, right?"

"Yeah, I can't believe it's mid-August already. Fall will be here before we know it." Annie crossed the room to where the coffee maker was sitting on the counter.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Do you have plans today?" Auggie asked as they cleared the table after breakfast almost an hour later.

"Yeah, I promised to watch my nieces this afternoon, my sister has a big catering gig and her husband is in on a business trip in California. I also have a ton of laundry I need to tackle. Fun stuff, " she replied unenthusiastically. It was pretty evident that she wasn't looking forward to it.

"Babysitting and laundry? Doesn't sound like a fun Saturday to me." Auggie replied, trying his best to conceal the disappointment he felt. He'd really hoped Annie wanted to spend the day with him.

"What? You don't enjoy babysitting and doing your laundry?" Annie asked in mock disbelief.

"Neither of those is high on the list of my favorite activities," Auggie said with a laugh as he finished loading the dishwasher and turned it on.

"Mine neither, but some things we just can't get out of."

"Nope. The things we do for family, right?"

"Yeah. I guess I'll get my things together and head into the city. Do you want me to pull the sheets off the bed and put them in the laundry room before I leave?"

"Nah, I'm not expecting any guests at the moment, and who knows? Maybe we'll do this again soon."

"I'd love to Auggie. I had a great time."

* * *

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Annie said tentatively over lunch a few days later.

"You want to know how I ended up in a wheelchair?" Auggie asked, he'd been waiting for the inevitable question for a while and he was actually surprised that she hadn't asked him sooner. It was one of the first things new people tended to ask him.

"Yeah, but you don't have to answer, I completely understand if you don't want to talk about it. I don't want to pry."

"Skiing accident in Aspen. Every year my family meet there the 1st weekend in February, it's been a tradition for as long as I can remember. I was off-piste skiing with a couple of my brothers; the conditions were perfect; a couple of feet of fresh powdery snow covered the mountainside. The snow disguised a big boulder. I was thrown up in the air and broke my back and injured my spinal cord in the landing."

"That must have been pretty hard to deal with," Annie said. "I can't even imagine..."

"It was devastating when the doctor told me I'd never walk again, I thought my life was over, hit rock bottom. When got transferred to rehab a few weeks later and met people with worse injuries and much challenges than me it really opened my eyes to how lucky I am that my injuries weren't worse."

"That your injuries weren't worse? I'm sorry, but I don't really understand what you're getting at."

"One of the people I met there was an 18 year old girl that had been in a car accident. She was completely paralyzed from the neck down and depended on a ventilator to breathe, but she was still determined to graduate High School with her class that spring and take college courses the coming fall. Compared to her I'm not that bad off. My injury is low and incomplete, I have full use of my upper body and I still have some sensation and movement of my legs too, just not enough to walk, unless you count wobbling around with braces and crutches at a snails pace. After meeting her it hit me that I'm actually pretty damn lucky and I told myself that if she was able to look forward I was too. It was a real turning point for me."

"Wow…" Annie breathed out. "Being able to actually look forward after such devastating is pretty amazing."

"Yeah, she really blew me away with her resilience and positiveness."

"Still, it can't have been easy?"

"Not at all. Rehab and the first few months after wasn't a walk in the park, but I got through it and now I'm just as independent and active as I was before my accident. The only thing that still bugs me is how people tend to perceive me, and other disabled people, for that matter. I might depend on a wheelchair to get around, but that doesn't make me stupid you know. I wish people were better at seeing the person behind the disability, like you did." Auggie sighed deeply at the end of the sentence, his frustration was evident.

"That must be frustrating, I wish people were less narrow minded. I think many people miss out some great friendships because they place labels on people; gay, black, Hispanic, blind… Well, you know what I mean."

"Well, I'm glad I met you," Auggie said with a genuine smile.

* * *

**Please leave a review and let me know what you think :o)**

**Keeps the muse happy and who knows; maybe it'll get the "Volunteer-muse" out of hibernation too. ;o)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for your continued support, please know that every follow, favorite and alert means a lot to me :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or anything Covert Affairs.**

* * *

**-Chapter 3-**

"If you're spending the weekend here again we need to go grocery shopping," Auggie said as they were about to finish work a Friday afternoon. Annie had been spending the weekends with him on a regular basis for the past month and they'd grown steadily closer. Over the month and a half since Annie had arrived on his doorstep Auggie had realized just how much he'd actually missed having a social life and he felt a tinge of regret for letting it slip away from him after his accident. It hadn't really been a conscious decision at the time; he'd just had so much to deal with, learning to live with his disability and adjusting to his new life, that his social life had fallen to the bottom of his list of priorities.

"If you don't mind I was hoping to stay, I actually have a suitcase in the car, just in case."

"Oh really, you enjoy my company that much?" Auggie said with a smirk.

"Absolutely! You're very good company and my sister's in-laws are visiting this weekend. I have a feeling that you enjoy my company too."

"You know I do Annie and you're always welcome to stay here. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't save you from an awkward weekend with your sister's in-laws."

"A terrible one," Annie replied with a cheeky grin. Then she got serious again. "Thanks for letting me stay. You're kind of like a Saint Bernard you know?"

"It's the slobbering, right?" he replied with a wink.

"That, and you're cute and dependable, and you bring me booze when I'm feeling down."

"That's what friends are for. You'd do the same thing for me."

* * *

"I could get used to this," Auggie said with a grin as they were headed for the grocery store a few blocks from his house. Annie was pushing him, holding on to his shoulders and he was holding her bag in his lap. She was secretly enjoying the feeling of his strong shoulders through his brown leather jacket. They both needed some fresh air after being coped up in Auggie's office all day.

"Don't get used to it. It's only because you told me you hurt your shoulder. I don't want you to hurt yourself even more."

"Harsh! It's not that big of a deal Annie. I just pulled a muscle because my hand slipped when I was getting out of the shower this morning. I'll be fine in a day or two. It's not the first time this happens." Auggie felt slightly embarrassed about his little accident in the bathroom that morning. His hand has slipped just as he was transferring from the seat in the shower to his wheelchair and it was just pure luck that he hadn't ended up on the floor. He didn't want to make a big deal about the incident.

Annie simply squeezed his shoulders and they crossed the parking lot. As they entered the store she let go and headed for the carts.

"Well, you can push yourself now. I'll take the cart," she said, heading for the carts.

"We don't need a cart, a basket will do," Auggie said as he grabbed one and placed it on his lap and handed Annie her bag. "Here's your bag. Now, let's go over the shopping list."

Annie grabbed the bag from him and pulled the list from it, before slinging it over her shoulder.

"Tomatoes, onions, ground beef…." Annie started rattling off the list they'd put together before they'd left the house. Auggie set off for the vegetable section.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Hey this is awesome," Annie said as they moved through the isles a while later.

"What?" Auggie didn't understand what Annie was talking about.

"I have a self propelling shopping cart that keeps me companied," she said as she placed a bag of chips in the basket on Auggie's lap and hip checked him. "Grocery shopping can't get better than this."

"Funny," Auggie said with a laugh. Then he got serious. "I like shopping with you too. I don't have to ask random people to get me the stuff from the top shelves I can't reach myself."

"It's a win-win situation then," she replied as she reached down to give Auggie's shoulder a squeeze. "Well, I think we've got everything. Let's go check out and get back to the house. I'm starving."

"Not so fast. Let's swing by the beer shelf and get a six-pack. I forgot to check, but I think there's just one in the fridge right now. That's not much if we're both going to enjoy a few."

"Ah, good thinking, running out of beer on a Friday evening would be bad."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Auggie replied with a self-satisfied smirk as he turned around and headed to the beer shelf.

* * *

"I'll have to check with Auggie and get back to you, okay…yeah….Talk to you soon. Bye."

"You'll have to check with Auggie about what?" Auggie asked as he entered his living room Saturday morning. Annie was on the couch, clutching her iPhone in her hand. She hadn't heard him coming.

"Oh, good morning Auggie. A few of my friends are meeting at a club tonight and they wondered if we want to join them."

"I don't know Annie. I'm not a big fan of clubbing and places like that are rarely wheelchair friendly. I also hate being stuck at the table watching everyone's stuff while they're dancing," Auggie responded with a shrug.

"It's a quiet jazz club in Georgetown and it's accessible. I've been there several times and you shouldn't have any problems getting around there at all. Come on Aug. I know you like jazz; I've seen your CD collection. And I promise I won't leave you sitting alone at the table."

Auggie was quiet for a moment. Annie was right; he did like jazz. Before his accident he'd been a frequent guest as some of DC's jazz clubs and it was something he'd missed. He figured that if Annie's friends were at least a bit like her it couldn't be too bad and decided to give it a chance.

"I'll go if you're 100% sure the place is wheelchair accessible."

"I'm sure Auggie. One of the regulars is this a guy in a big, bulky electric wheelchair. He gets around just fine, I don't see any reason you shouldn't."

"Okay, I surrender. I'll drive."

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"You clean up nicely," Annie said as Auggie came out of his bedroom. He'd been wearing a typical Saturday outfit of worn jeans and a worn t-shirt all day and he'd changed into a pair of dark jeans, a light gray shirt and a fitted charcoal V-neck sweater and he had a black leather jacket in his lap. He'd also shaved and his unruly hair seemed more tame than usual.

"So do you Ms. Walker," Auggie replied. Annie always dressed well, but her burgundy, knee length dress and stilettos blew him away. It sure was a step up from her work and casual clothes. "You look amazing tonight."

"Thanks Auggie. I like dressing up," she said with a smile as she pulled on a trench coat.

"Well, shall we get going then?" Auggie grabbed his car keys from a small table in the hall and made sure he had his wallet and phone before he turned and headed for the garage door. Annie had seen Auggie's black BMW 525 in the driveway before, but she was surprised to see a second car in the garage. A grey dustcover was covering it.

"Hey, what's under the cover?" she asked as Auggie locked the door behind them and moved towards his car.

"My '67 Corvette. Bought it a couple of years before my accident, managed to put a few miles on it. It's a collector's car with a manual transmission, adapting it so I can drive it is out of the question. I'm thinking of selling it," he said with a shrug as he opened the driver's door, positioned himself and transferred to the drivers seat. "Would you mind giving me a hand? I usually put the chair in the passenger seat, but since you're riding me I'll put it in the back so you can sit up front with me."

"Sure, just tell me what you need me to do."

Five minutes later Annie had placed Auggie's disassembled wheelchair in the back seat and she had buckled into the front passenger seat. Auggie started the car and backed out of the garage. He was feeling nervous and excited at the same time.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Auggie felt more nervous than he'd anticipated as he followed Annie through the jazz club. Thankfully it wasn't too crowded and Annie was right; the place seemed to be wheelchair friendly.

"Hey guys, I'd like you to meet Auggie," Annie said as they reached a table in the back of the club. "Auggie, this is Alan, Cathy, Jack and Andrew."

"Nice to meet you all," Auggie said with a smile as he settled in at the end of the table and shrugged out of his jacket. "Thanks for letting me tag along."

"No problem, a guy under 30 that's into jazz is a rarity. We're always looking for new members in our strange little club," Jack said as he shook Auggie's hand firmly. Half an hour later the conversation was flowing lightly and Auggie was enjoying himself more than he'd anticipated.

* * *

"Thanks for persuading me to come last night, I had a really good time," Auggie told Annie over breakfast Sunday morning.

"No problem. I knew you'd have a good time. You really need to relax and let your guard down a bit."

"What are you getting at?" Auggie took a sip of his coffee with a puzzled look on his face.

"I think you worry too much about how people see you. I know there are people out there that treat you differently because you're in a wheelchair and I completely understand that it's frustrating to you. But Auggie, you're a smart, funny, good-looking guy. Focus on getting people to see that, like you did last night."

"Who made you my therapist?" he asked, a bit sarcastically. It was evident that he wasn't comfortable with the direction the conversation was taking.

"Funny! I'm not trying to be your therapist, I'm just telling you what I've observed since I met you. I don't understand why you're such a hermit. You're a great guy Auggie, a really great guy."

"I'm not a hermit!" Auggie shot back defensively, although a small voice in the back of his head told him that she did have a point.

"You're not? You work from home and you don't seem to have much of a social life."

"Uh…" Auggie stuttered out. Then he stopped and leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs, hanging his head. "I've had a lot to deal with for the past few years you know," he mumbled without lifting his head. Annie had managed to hit a nerve and he felt oddly emotional.

Annie moved to sit on the chair next to him and grabbed his hand.

"I know Auggie, and I'm sure it's been hard for you, but do you seriously plan on spending the rest of your life alone in this big house?"

"It's not like I never leave the house. I go down to the café for lunch several times a week and I go into the Murphy offices for meetings from time to time."

"Do you talk to people there? The only reason you worked up the courage to talk to me was that the free seat by my table was the only seat in the place that was accessible to you."

Auggie hung took a deep breath. He hated to admit it, but Annie had a point. He raised his hands in defeat.

"I guess you have a point," he admitted reluctantly. "I've been a bit of a hermit since my accident."

"What happened? Didn't you have friends before?"

"I had plenty of college and high school friends, but after graduating we all got scattered around the country. I had only lived in DC a few months when my accident happened; I'd made a few acquaintances, but no real friends. Then I was injured and spent about six months in a hospital and rehab. When I was done with rehab this place was waiting for me and I ended up working from here. I guess that's the short version of it," Auggie said with a shrug.

"What about your family?" Annie asked. "You never see them?"

"Ever since my accident the relationship has been strained. I send them presents for birthdays and Christmas. I haven't seen any of them since I told my parents and two of my brothers to fuck off and leave me alone while I was in rehab."

"Why, what happened?"

"It's kind of a long story and I really don't feel like going into it right now. Sorry."

Annie squeezed his hand. "It's okay, you don't have to apologize. Just know that I'm here should you ever feel like talking about it, okay?"

Auggie finally looked up with grateful look on his face. "Thanks Annie," he said with a small smile as leaned forward and pulled Annie in for a hug. "I appreciate it."

* * *

**As usual I'd love to hear from you :o)**

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	4. Chapter 4

**Again; thank you SO much for the warm reception of this story! I truly appreciate every follow, favorite and review :o) Still no luck in kicking the "The Volunteer" muse out of hibernation, but hopefully she'll come up with something soon.**

**So...it's the summer season finale of CA tonight. Thank goodness it's only a three week break this year, I'm having withdrawal symptoms already. LOL :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs. Just love playing with the characters...!**

* * *

**-Chapter 4-**

A Friday evening in the middle of October Auggie was alone in his house and for the first time in years the quietness bothered him. He missed Annie more than he thought he would. Auggie finally worked up the courage to ask Annie to go on a date with him a couple of weeks earlier; he knew she was attracted to him, she'd admitted it the first time they met, but he'd been decided that he wanted to get to know her as a friend before he pursued a romantic relationship with her. As they'd gotten closer over the moths since they met each other Auggie's attraction to her had only grown stronger; not only was she smokin' hot, she was intelligent, had a great sense of humor and most important; she accepted him unconditionally. It was something Auggie had dreamed about, but he hadn't allowed himself to think it would ever happen and it was still a bit surreal to him that Annie was his girlfriend. As much as he hated to admit it Annie was right; he had turned himself into a hermit over the past few years. He realized it was time to change that, but he had no real idea of how to approach it.

With a frustrated sigh he pushed the thoughts to the back of his head and went into his bedroom and grabbed the book he was reading from his nightstand. He headed back to the living room where he settled into the chaise lounge by the window and pulled up the Sonos app on his iPhone and a few taps on the screen later soft jazz was playing from the built in speakers throughout the house. Auggie grabbed the book from his lap and started reading, hoping to keep his mind off his social life, or more correctly: the lack of it. He wasn't very successful. Another thing that was starting to bother him more than he cared to admit was the strained relationship with his family. He missed them and with the holidays coming up the feelings were stronger than usual. He knew he had caused it himself, but he had no idea how to start mending their relationship.

* * *

"Annie? Can I talk to you about something?" Auggie asked Annie tentatively as they dug into their lasagna at lunchtime the following Monday.

"Sure, I told you that I'm here for you if you need to talk to me. "What is it?"

"My family. I miss them and I want to start mending fences, but I have no idea how to approach it."

"Well, what happened? Care to give me a little background?"

Auggie sighed. "It's kind of a long and messed up story."

"Spill it Auggie. We have time," Annie pushed.

"I think I told you my accident happened while I was skiing off-piste with my brothers, right?"

Annie nodded affirmatively.

"I was never a huge fan of off-piste skiing and I was hesitant because it was unfamiliar terrain and so much snow. We had no idea what the snow was hiding and I felt like we were taking an unnecessary risk. My brothers claimed a local they'd met at the hotel bar the previous evening had told them it was perfectly safe, and after some persuasion I finally agreed to go. Two hours later I was airlifted out of there." Auggie paused and had a sip of his iced tea, and then he carried on. "Anyway, a couple of days later my brothers came to see me in the hospital. Only about half an hour before they arrived the doctor had told me that I'd never walk again, that the injury to my spinal cord was permanent and couldn't be fixed. Needless to say I was pretty upset and emotional and as soon as I saw them I exploded. Told them it was their fault I was a cripple that would be stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, that if they hadn't pushed for me to go off-piste skiing with them I wouldn't have been injured. At the time everyone's emotions was on high gear. It just blew up. We all said things we regret. The relationship has been strained ever since."

"So you don't really blame them for what happened?" Annie queried.

"No. In retrospect I know it was just bad luck. It could've been either one of us. It was no one's fault." Auggie sighed and took another sip of his tea.

"Maybe you should talk to your brothers and tell them just that?"

"That's easier said than done Annie." Auggie's shoulders slumped and he sighed heavily.

"Is it? You pick up the phone, call them and talk to them. I'm not saying it'll be easy, but I think it's something you need to do."

Auggie sighed. He knew Annie was right, it wasn't a phone call he looked forward to, but if he was to make amends with his family he needed to take the initiative. He just didn't have any idea what to say. He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs with his head slightly bowed. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Hey, how about inviting your family here for Thanksgiving?" Annie said, breaking the silence.

"What?" Auggie lifted his head with a stunned look on his face.

"You heard me. You have two guestrooms here and from what I understand you can afford to pay for the rest of them to stay at a hotel downtown."

Auggie sat in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. "Yeah, I could. Actually, that's not a bad idea Annie. I'll think about it."

"If you decide to go for it, I'm here for you." She reached over, grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze.

"Thanks Annie. You really are the best girlfriend in the world."

"Aww, you're making it easy for me. You're a pretty amazing boyfriend." Annie smiled and patted Auggie's shoulder before she turned her attention back to her meal.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"I forgot to tell you; I have an appointment tomorrow morning, but I'll be back around noon," Auggie said as they were wrapping up their work later that afternoon.

"Anything wrong?" Annie asked, worry lacing her voice.

"Not at all. Just picking up my new wheels."

"You bought a new car? I thought you said got your BMW just a few months ago." Annie was confused.

"Not a car; a new wheelchair."

"Really? The one you're in looks like it's almost new."

"It's not that old and it's actually the best wheelchair I've had, but when my physical therapist told me a couple of weeks a go that there's a new version of it out and that it's supposed to be better in several ways I had to try it. The test chair I tried felt very good, so the one adjusted for me should be awesome."

"That's great Auggie," Annie said as she shut down her laptop. "I've got a few things to sort, I'll be here by 1 pm tomorrow then, if that's okay with you?"

"No problem. Do you wanna stay for dinner tonight?"

"I'd love to. What's on the menu?"

* * *

"Nice lookin' wheels!" Annie greeted Auggie the next day. "Are they as good as you thought they'd be?"

"Better!" Auggie replied with a grin as he cheekily balanced on the rear wheels of his new wheelchair.

"Awesome! What's so great about it?"

Auggie went silent for a couple of minutes then he looked up at Annie. "Hold on for a minute." He turned and disappeared down the hallway toward the garage. A moment later he returned, pushing his old wheelchair in front of him. He stopped in front of Annie.

"Have a seat. Go around the house and come back to me."

"What?" Annie was confused.

"Humor me."

Annie sat down in Auggie's old wheelchair. With a bit of effort she made a circuit through the house without running into too many pieces of furniture. When she came back to the hallway Auggie as waiting for her with an expectant look on his face.

"Park it next to me," he said. Annie did as she was told and got to her feet. She watched as Auggie adjusted the placement of the chair slightly and transferred to it.

"Now repeat what you just did in that," he said, pointing to his new wheelchair. Annie obliged.

"Oh, this is more comfortable to sit in," she exclaimed. "And it seems lighter." Annie made the same circuit around the house and returned to the hallway where Auggie was waiting.

"So, what do you think?" he asked as she parked it next to him and stood up.

"It's lighter, more comfortable to sit in and much easier to maneuver."

"Bingo! Now lift it."

She did as she was told. "It's pretty light," she said as she placed it next to Auggie.

"Now lift the other one," he said after settling back into the new one.

"Oh, there's definitely a difference. This isn't heavy, but the other one is much lighter. Well, I'm glad you're happy with it. Want me to put this back in the garage?"

"Nope, I want you to spend the rest of the week in it."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. I'm about to shake things up a little bit, how about spending a few days in my world? I know you're curious and I love that you're not afraid to ask me questions, but how about trying it? Are you up for it?"

"I guess. But Auggie, you'll have to teach me a few techniques and I guess I'll have to use your bathroom."

"It's not that serious, you can shower and go to the bathroom as normal. I just want you to get an idea of how it is to get around in a wheelchair, okay?"

"Okay, I'll give it a go" Annie said and sat down in Auggie's old wheelchair again. "Well, guess we should stop messing around and try to get some work done, it's almost 2 in the afternoon already."

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"I guess I'll go home and get some things together," Annie said over dinner a few hours later. "I'll stay here for the duration of this little experiment of yours if that's okay with you?"

"I was hoping you'd say that." Auggie said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"You're such a mess. I should've known you have some kind if hidden agenda."

"Funny! I like having you around. I missed you this weekend, more than I thought I would."

"I missed you too."

"Have thought about what we talked about the other day?"

"What?" Auggie cocked an eyebrow and looked at her with a confused look on his face.

"Inviting your family here for Thanksgiving. It's getting closer, so if you're doing it you should probably invite them soon."

"Yeah, you're right. I just don't know how to approach it," he sighed.

"How about calling your parents first?" Annie suggested. She felt a bit like Auggie was putting it off.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Auggie said. "Maybe I'll call Mom tonight."

"That sounds like a really good idea Auggie, I think you should do that."

They finished their meal in silence and then Annie headed into DC to get her stuff together. She would return the following morning and spend the rest of the week at Auggie's house.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

After Annie left Auggie cleaned up the kitchen after dinner and then he went to the living room where he settled into the couch. With a small sigh he dug his iPhone out of his pocket and dialed his parents' landline number.

"Okay, here it goes…" Auggie thought as he tapped the screen on his iPhone and brought the phone to his ear. He had butterflies the size of eagles flittering around his stomach. His mother picked up on the third ring.

"Anderson."

"Hi Mom. It's me, Auggie," he said tentatively. He hadn't talked to his mother for almost a year and he had no idea how to approach the conversation.

"Auggie! It's so good to hear your voice. How are you doing?"

"I'm good Mom, really good. How's everyone back in Glencoe?"

"All's good here."

"Mom, I need to talk to you. I miss you. All of you and I'm tired of the strained and distant relationship we've had for the past couple of years. I know it's all my fault, but I've not known how to deal with it. Honestly, I still don't, but I was hoping we could figure it out together."

Auggie heard his mother sniffle. "Oh Auggie, you don't know how happy I am to hear that. I've missed you so much…" her voice trailed off.

"I was kind of hoping we could start at Thanksgiving. I'd like you all to come here. I've got two guestrooms and I'll pay for the rest to stay at the hotel down the road. Do you think the rest of the family is up for it?"

"I'll make some phone calls and get back to you, but I think they'll be happy to. We actually talked about you over dinner on Sunday. We all miss you too Auggie."

"Thanks Mom. I appreciate it." Things were going better than he'd anticipated, and Auggie let himself relax a little.

"No problem at all Auggie. I'm so happy you're taking this step. So, what's going on in your life? Anything new?"

"I still work for Murphy, from home, but I think I'll ask them to set up an office for me at HQ in DC when I'm done with the project I'm working on now. Working from home gets kind of lonely."

"Sounds like a good plan. What about your personal life?"

"I have a girlfriend. We just started dating a couple of weeks ago. If you come here for Thanksgiving I'll introduce you to her. Inviting you was actually her idea."

"That's great Auggie. Your Dad and I will be there, I promise you that. I can't make promises on your brothers' behalf, but I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to come too."

"Great Mom. Call me when you've talked to them, okay?"

"Will do. I love you Auggie and I glad to hear you're doing good, I've been worried about you."

"Love you too Mom. Stop worrying about me and tell Dad I said hi."

"He'll be so happy to hear that you called. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Yep. Bye Mom," Auggie said and ended the call. With a sigh of relief he slid the phone back into his jeans pocket. The call had gone much better than he'd feared and he felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned on the TV to watch the news and the latest episode of Bones before going to bed.

* * *

"Man, I thought I was in pretty good shape, but this was tougher than I thought it would be," Annie said as she followed Auggie up the driveway to his house the following afternoon. Auggie had insisted on getting some fresh air and Annie had reluctantly agreed to go with him. She'd been getting the hang of moving around in a wheelchair in the house and out on the patio, but pushing herself around the streets had been harder than she anticipated and her arms was aching.

"There's a difference between smooth floors and uneven pavements, isn't it?" Auggie asked as he unlocked the front door and entered the house. Annie followed him inside and locked the door behind her.

"Oh, absolutely. It's a good workout for my arms though, so that's good."

"You look like you need a shower. Why don't you do that and I'll get started on dinner. I'm starving."

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I feel pretty disgusting and I'm starving."

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Later that evening they were sitting on the couch, Annie was curled up next to Auggie and he had wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Soft jazz was playing from the sound system and they had been sitting in comfortable silence for a while when Auggie spoke.

"I've decided to start working from the Murphy offices in DC after we finish this assignment."

"Really? That's great Auggie."

"You think?"

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you're coming out from your shell."

"Funny! To be serious; I've realized that I need to change things. I don't want to end up as an old, bitter man all alone in this house."

"Oh, I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen. I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon," Annie said firmly.

"You don't?" Auggie looked down at Annie with a warm smile.

"Nope, you're not getting rid of me Mr. Anderson." Annie sat up and placed a kiss on Auggie's cheek.

Just as Auggie was about to reply his iPhone started ringing. His parents' landline number came up on the screen.

"It's Auggie," he answered.

"Hi Auggie. How are you?" It was his mother.

"All's good here. Just spending a quiet evening with my girlfriend. How are you and Dad?"

Annie moved to the other end of the couch and picked up her book to give Auggie some privacy.

"We're good. Your Dad's at a meeting right now and I just wanted to let you know that I've talked to all of your brothers and you better prepare for an invasion of Andersons. They all seem pretty excited about it."

"Even Matt and Josh?" Auggie asked. After all the stuff he'd said to his two youngest brothers the last time he spoke with them he hand't had too high hopes about them coming.

"Especially Matt and Josh. You three were so close. They miss you Auggie."

Auggie took a deep breath. That his entire family would be coming for Thanksgiving made him happy and nervous at the same time.

"I miss them too Mom, but after the way I treated them I wouldn't blame them for not wanting to speak with me, ever again."

"Auggie, you were in a really bad place when that happened and we all said things we regret. What's said is said and what's done is done. Isn't it time to move forward? Isn't that why you took this initiative?"

"You're right, as usual," Auggie said with a small laugh. "Anyway, do you have my email address?"

"Is it still auggie at auggie dot com?"

"Yep, that's my personal one. I'd like you and Dad to stay here with me, and I have one more guestroom that will take two adults and a kid or two on the sleeper couch in there. I'll book rooms for the rest at the Hilton Garden Inn; it's only about a 10-minute walk from my house. Can you please check who wants to stay where and send me a list of the rooms I need to book as soon as possible?"

"People can pay for their own hotel room Auggie. I'm sure they won't mind."

"I know that, but please let me do this. I want to and I can afford it, okay?" Auggie said firmly. His mother agreed and they chatted for a few more minutes before they ended the call. Auggie placed the phone on the coffee table and turned toward Annie with a smile on his face.

"You better get ready to meet my family, they're all coming for Thanksgiving!"

"Oh Auggie, that's great! They're all coming?" Annie exclaimed.

"Yep! Mom, Dad and all of my brothers and their families. This place will be crowded for a few days, but I kind of like that idea. What's the point of having this big house if I'm not going to fill it with people from time to time, right?"

"Good thinking Aug! I'm so happy for you," Annie said as she cuddled up next to Auggie again. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

**As always; I love to hear what you think :o)**

**Reviews are loved as long as they're constructive.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Reveiws, follows and ****favorites are greatly appreciated - as always ;o)**

**SOOOOOO happy to hear that Covert Affairs has been renewed for season 4! YAY! :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything, just enjoy playing with Annie & Auggie. **

* * *

**-Chapter 5-**

A Tuesday afternoon in early November Auggie was in his office, setting up his new iPad, when the doorbell rang. He wasn't expecting any visitors so he pulled up the surveillance camera stream from the front door. Auggie's jaw dropped at the sight of his brother Matt standing there. Auggie hadn't expected to see him 'till Thanksgiving when the whole family was coming. He took a deep breath as he released the brakes on his wheelchair and headed for the front door. Butterflies the size of eagles were fluttering around his stomach as he unlocked and opened the door. Before he managed to say anything his brother's arms were wrapped firmly around him.

"This is a surprise," Auggie said with a small smile as they broke the embrace. "Come on in."

"Thanks Auggie," Matt said, sounding a bit nervous as he walked into the hallway and closed the door behind him.

"So what are you doing here?" Auggie cut to the chase, he wondered why Matt had showed up unannounced. They had barely spoken for the past three years and the last time they'd seen each other had been in the hospital, two days after Auggie's accident. "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see you, but we have barely spoken in over three years and all of a sudden you show up on my doorstep..."

"Well...um...I wanted to see you without the whole family around so I took a few days off work and flew down here. I probably should've called first. You're probably busy…" Matt's voice trailed off. He wasn't really sure what to say.

Auggie looked at Matt. He was obviously uncomfortable and insecure, he was fidgeting with his black leather gloves and hanging his head slightly. Auggie decided to put him out of his misery. "Nope, I was just setting up my new iPad and trying to figure out what to do for dinner. Are you hungry?"

"You're not kicking me out?" Matt said with surprise lacing his voice. It was obviously not the answer he'd expected.

"No Matt, I'm not. I'm glad you're here. So, how about dinner?"

"Sounds really nice actually. I haven't eaten since lunch and plane food isn't exactly filling."

"Come on then. Take off your coat and follow me," Auggie said as he turned and headed into the kitchen. Matt looked at his youngest brother. It was the first time Matt saw his baby brother in a wheelchair and the feeling of guilt hit him like a punch in the gut. If only he and Josh hadn't pushed Auggie to go off-piste skiing with them that fateful day little over three years earlier… He pushed the thoughts out of his head and quickly shrugged out of his coat and hung that and his scarf on the coat rack in the hallway before he followed Auggie into the kitchen.

"How do you feel about smothered burritos?" Auggie asked him while pulling several items from the fridge.

Matt spotted a tin of green chili sitting on the counter. "Green chili ones? Mom's recipe?" he asked with a grin.

"Yep. I've got a few cans of that good stuff from New Mexico and I'm in the mood for something spicy."

"Sounds good to me," Matt said with a smile. Some of the tension he was feeling was dwindling away. Things were going far better than he'd dared to hope for. "What can I do to help?"

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

They made it through dinner with polite small-talk, mostly talking about harmless topics. There was some tension in the air and as they finished eating Auggie figured it was time to address the big elephant in the room. He couldn't avoid the subject forever.

"Matt, I owe you an apology. I'm sorry for what I said in the hospital. I really don't blame anyone for what happened, it was an accident and it could've been any one of us."

"You don't have to apologize Aug, I know you weren't thinking clearly at the time, you had just gotten some pretty devastating news."

"You're right, I wasn't thinking clearly," Auggie sighed. "But I still shouldn't have said what I said. I guess what Mom said the other day is right though; what's said is said and what's done is done. I just hope we can move forward. I miss you and the rest of the family."

"Mom always knows what to say, doesn't she?" Matt said with a small laugh. Then he got serious. "We miss you too and we're all happy that you're getting back in touch with us. You seem to be getting along pretty well."

Auggie had knew matt had observed him closely while they were cooking and setting the table. He had felt him staring and he realized it would probably be the same with the rest of the family. Right after he was discharged from rehab it had bothered him, but as time gone by he had realized that it came with the territory and he was finally getting to a point where it didn't bother him.

"I am Matt. I'm not going to pretend it has been easy, but I'm doing pretty well. I've got a great job, a nice house and a fantastic girlfriend."

"You've got a girlfriend? How long have you been going out? Mom didn't mention it."

"Yep, Annie and I have been going out for about a month now. She's really something special Matt," Auggie said with a smile.

"That's great Auggie. I can't wait to meet her."

"And I can't wait to introduce you to her, I hope you'll meet her before you go back to Chicago. Anyway, how long are you in town for and where are you staying?" Auggie asked, changing the subject.

"I'm here for the rest of the week. I have a room booked at the hotel down the road."

In a spur of the moment Auggie decided to invite Matt to stay with him. "Well call and cancel that room. You can stay here."

"Huh?" Matt's eyes were wide with surprise. He definitely hadn't expected Auggie to offer his guest room.

"I have two guest-rooms. Why spend money on a hotel 10 minutes away when you can stay here for free? You'll have to make your own bed and I don't offer room service, but I do make a mean omelet for breakfast," Auggie said with a sincere smile.

"Are you sure? I mean, you probably have plans and I know you work from home. I don't wanna intrude." Matt was still insecure.

"I wouldn't offer if it was a problem, you know I wouldn't. I can put my current project on hold for a few days; we're ahead of schedule anyway. I'm sure Annie won't mind a few days off."

"Annie? Wait, as in your girlfriend Annie?" Auggie's last statement had Matt totally confused.

"Yeah...it's sort of a long story. I'll tell you later, okay? Let me show you the guestroom and you can get settled in," Auggie said as he released the brakes on his wheelchair and pushed away from the table. Matt stood up and followed Auggie as he headed down the hall toward the guest rooms.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Half an hour later Matt was in the bathroom, taking a shower, and Auggie was back in his office. He checked Skype and was happy to see that Annie was online. A minute later her smiling face filled the screen in front of him.

"Hey there! Couldn't wait 'till tomorrow to see me huh?" she said in a teasing tone.

"No. Listen, about tomorrow…there has been a change of plans. My brother Matt turned up here not long after you left. He's in town for the rest of the week and I'd like to spend some time with him. Since we're ahead of schedule I figured I'd take the rest of the week off. Do you mind?"

"Oh… Not at all. I'll miss you though," she said with a wink. "So...how are things with your brother? Did you clear the air?"

"Yep. I think we're good. He seems like he really wants to make amends, and so do I. I think spending a few days together without the rest of the family around will be good."

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I'd really like to meet him."

"And I want to introduce you two. Why don't we talk tomorrow? I don't really know what the next few days will bring, this was totally unexpected."

"Deal. Love you Auggie! Sweet dreams."

"Love you too. G'night." Annie disappeared from the screen and Auggie shut down his computer and just as he headed down the hall Matt came out of the guest room wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"Up for watching some football?" Auggie asked as Matt followed him toward the kitchen. "The Bears are playing the 49ers tonight."

"I assume you've got some beers in the fridge?"

"Sure do," Auggie said as he pulled two beers from his fridge and placed them in his lap. He also grabbed a bag of chips before he headed into the living room. The apprehension he'd felt earlier was fading away and he was starting to relax and enjoy Matt's company. An hour later they were both on their third bottle of beer and screaming at the TV like they'd always done when they watched football together.

* * *

"I can't believe this assignment is coming to an end," Annie said as they were shutting down their computers a Thursday afternoon a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving.

"I know! Part of me feels like we've been at it forever, but at the same time it feels like we just got started. Strange, huh?"

"I feel the same way. I'm going to miss seeing you every day like this."

"That feeling is mutual Annie. I've been thinking about something; how do you feel about moving in with me? You told me yourself you're getting fed up with living in your sister's guesthouse and the place isn't accessible for me so I can't visit you… If you move here you're within walking distance of your office, or you can work out of this office. I'll start working at the Murphy offices after New Year and I won't need a big setup like this at home. Most of this stuff will be re-located to my office there. I just need some space for my laptop. It would save you the rent on the office."

Auggie had spoken with Arthur Campbell a few weeks back and he'd expressed that he was happy that Auggie wanted an office at Murphy's HQ. They'd agreed that Auggie should work from home for the remaining months of the year.

"You want me to move in? Are you sure?"

"Yep, more than sure. The house is awfully quiet when you're not here and we've practically been living together for the past couple of months anyway."

"True. Well, if you're sure I think it sounds like a great idea. I've been thinking about finding a new place to live anyway, somewhere accessible for you."

"Awesome!" Auggie's face was nearly split in half with a huge grin. Annie stood up and walked around the desk and sat down on Auggie's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her back and they were pretty much lost in their own world for a few minutes, until Auggie's warbling cellphone pulled them back to reality. It was his mother.

Annie returned to her desk and continued to pack up her stuff while Auggie grabbed the phone from the desk.

"Hi Mom," he greeted her cheerfully.

"Good afternoon Auggie. You sound like you're having a good day."

"Awesome. Annie just agreed to move in with me."

"That's great Auggie. I can't wait to meet her. She made quite an impression on Matt."

"She's excited to meet you all too. Thanksgiving is only a couple of weeks away now."

"I know. Listen, I was wondering if it's okay that your Dad and I come a couple days early? We're thinking Wednesday morning instead of Thursday morning."

"Sure, just let me know when you're arriving and I'll pick you up at Reagan. Why the change of plans?"

"Remember Tom and Alice Wilkins?"

"Vaguely, they were members at the country club, right? Weren't they from this area?"

"That's right. They're from Sterling and they moved back there when Tom retired a couple of years ago. When I told Alice we're coming to Tysons Corner to spend Thanksgiving with you she invited us to have dinner with them. Figured we'd take advantage of the opportunity to see them again since we're so close."

"Ah, good idea. It'll be nice to have a couple of days with you before the rest of the family arrives too."

"True. Thanks Auggie. I'll send you the flight details as soon as I have them."

"Great! Say hi to Dad from me. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye Auggie."

"Bye." Auggie ended the call and turned his attention back to Annie. "So, do you wanna stay for dinner tonight?"

"Sorry Auggie, I promised my sister I'd have dinner with her and the girls tonight. Michael's away on another business trip."

"Oh, that's right. You mentioned it earlier today, I just forgot. But you're spending the weekend, right?"

"Yep. I'll talk to Danielle about moving tonight and we'll talk more about it this weekend, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," Auggie agreed. "You can move in tomorrow if you want to, it's completely up to you."

"Look who's eager," Annie laughed as Auggie rounded the desk and came up to her. "Listen, I want to move in with you as soon as possible, but I need to talk to Danielle and packing and stuff takes time too."

"I know Annie. We'll discuss the details this weekend, okay?" Auggie said and then he leaned forward and kissed her.

* * *

**As you can see Auggie is making progress in getting re-aquainted with his family. **

**What did you think about Matt turning up like that?**

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. :o)**

**PS! The next chapter will be all about the Thanksgiving celebration. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for the response to the ****previous chapter - as always it's truly appreciated. :o)**

**The 'Volunteer' muse is slightly back in gear. I hope to get the ones waiting for an update on that story something this weekend. A new chapter is in the works, but I'm struggling with it...**

**I know I said this would be all Thanksgiving...the muse didn't agree. More Thanksgiving will come in the next chapter.**

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything. *sigh***

* * *

**-Chapter 6-**

When Annie let herself in to Auggie's place the Monday before Thanksgiving she was surprised to find the house dark and quiet. A car wreck had caused her to be stuck in traffic for almost an hour and a half and she was well behind her normal schedule. Auggie was usually already in the office working when she arrived in the mornings, but the office was empty. She dropped off her bag on her desk and headed to the back of the house. To her surprise Auggie was still in bed. She noticed a bottle of Nyquil on the nightstand, as well as a box of Kleenex tissues. Annie hadn't talked to Auggie since Friday afternoon, she'd spent Saturday and Sunday babysitting her nieces while Danielle and Michael were at a wedding in Los Angeles. Auggie had been coughing a little and he'd mentioned a sore throat over lunch on Friday and he'd obviously gotten worse over the weekend. Annie sat down on the side of the bed and put her hand on his shoulder. It barely caused him to stir.

"Hey there," she said softly. "How are you feeling?"

Auggie groaned and slowly opened his eyes. He smiled weakly at the sight of his girlfriend sitting on the side of the bed with a worried look on her face.

"Like shit. And talk about bad timing, with Mom and Dad arriving on Wednesday and the rest of the family on Thursday."

"I know. We'll just have to make the best of it. Hopefully you'll feel better in a day or two."

"Yeah, it's just that I've got lots of preparations I need to get done before everyone arrives. Right now all I have the energy for is sleep…" his voice trailed off and he started coughing.

"It's only Monday and I'm here. You stay in bed and relax, okay? Can I get you anything?"

"I'm kind of hungry. There's some soup in the freezer, would you mind heating some for me?"

"Of course not Aug. I'll be right back," Annie said as she leaned forward and kissed Auggie on the forehead.

"Thanks Annie," he said as he pulled the covers closer around him.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Half an hour later Auggie had polished off a bowl of soup and a cup of tea and he was feeling a bit better. Annie was sitting in his wheelchair next to the bed with a notepad in her lap.

"Okay Auggie, since you're obviously not leaving the house, probably not even the bed, anytime soon I'll help you with whatever I can. I realize there are some things you have to take care of yourself, but there must be some things I can fix for you."

"I feel bad about dumping all of this stuff on you…" Auggie protested.

"Shut up Auggie. You would do the same thing for me, right?"

"I would do anything for you Annie," he said with a small smile.

"With that settled, spill it buster," Annie said firmly, picking up the pen.

"To start with there's a grocery list on my computer, it's a Word file on the desktop, called "Thanksgiving"…." Auggie started listing what needed to be done and bought. Fifteen minutes later Annie was feeling slightly overwhelmed; the list was longer and more comprehensive than she'd anticipated. Auggie sensed it and reached over and grabbed her hand. "I know it's a lot and I really hope I'm better tomorrow so I can help out a bit, at least with stuff around the house. I really appreciate this Annie."

Annie gave his hand a little squeeze and smiled as she stood up. "Don't worry about it. Now get some more rest." Annie leaned forward and kissed his forehead before she left the room.

* * *

The following morning Auggie was feeling better. The fever was gone, as was the pounding in his head. He got out of bed and after a shower he got dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt and headed to the kitchen. He hoped some coffee would take away the urge he felt to go back to bed. Just as he started the coffee maker Annie walked in to the kitchen. She'd spent the night in one of the guest rooms, both because Auggie's coughing kept her awake and he didn't want her to get sick as well. It was bad enough that one of them was sick.

"You're up!" she exclaimed with joy as she crossed the floor to where Auggie was starting the coffee maker. "And you look like you're better."

"I am. The fever seems to be gone and I don't have a headache anymore. My throat is still sore and my nose is still a bit runny, but I don't feel like staying in bed all day. I'll try to help you with some stuff around the house today."

"Great! Just don't overdo it, I don't want you to get all wiped out so you're back in bed again tomorrow."

Auggie poured a cup of coffee and held it out to Annie. She grabbed the cup from him and leaned against the counter and watched as he poured a cup for himself.

"I know," he sighed. "I'll take it easy. Right now I'm slightly relieved that we decided to postpone you moving in 'till after Thanksgiving."

"Me too. I'm glad we don't have a bunch of moving boxes sitting around the house for us to deal with on top of everything else."

They spent the morning puttering around the house. Annie prepared the largest guestroom for Auggie's parents' arrival the following day and cleaned the guest bath and half bath. Auggie picked up his bedroom and prepared some food for lunch and dinner the following day. That evening they decided to order Chinese food and after dinner they spent the evening on the couch watching TV and relaxing before they went to bed early.

* * *

That night Auggie didn't sleep much. He spent much of the night tossing and turning, he was nervous and excited at the same time and lots of thoughts were rattling through his head. At 6 am he gave up getting more sleep and got out of bed and headed for the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. Annie was still peacefully asleep on her half of the bed. After a shower, shave and brushing his teeth he went through his wardrobe several times before he settled on a pair of dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a fitted navy V-neck sweater. He felt a bit silly for fussing so much with what to wear, but he wanted to appear as together and confident as possible. Sometime during the night he'd realized that it was the first time his parents would see him in a wheelchair and that made him even more nervous. The last time they'd seen him he'd been at the lowest point of his life and he desperately wanted them to see that he was back to his old self and was happy and content with his life.

Just as he finished dressing Annie woke up. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes.

"Morning," she said with a yawn. "You're up early and appear to be doing much better than yesterday."

"I'm feeling much better, almost back to normal, despite not getting much sleep last night. I hope I didn't keep you awake."

"Nope, I was tired, so I pretty much passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow. Why didn't you fall asleep?"

"It's silly…I'm actually nervous about seeing my parents again. It has been years since I felt this self conscious…"

"Self conscious? About what?"

Auggie hesitated a bit before he spoke. "It dawned on me that parents haven't seen me in a wheelchair before."

"Oh… well just be your usual charming self and don't worry so much. When do you have to leave for the airport?"

"Soon. Their plane lands at 9:45 am. I'll go ahead and start the coffee while you shower and get dressed," Auggie said as Annie finally got out of bed. He turned and headed for the kitchen.

* * *

"I can't wait to see Auggie again," Carol Anderson told her husband as they disembarked the plane and headed up the jetway toward the terminal at Reagan National Airport. "I'm so happy he's taking this initiative. From what Matt said he's doing pretty well."

"So am I dear," John Anderson said as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and gave her a little squeeze.

Twenty minutes later they exited the baggage claim area and it didn't take them long to find Auggie. He was waiting for them right outside the door and as soon as he saw them a bright smile that extended to his eyes spread across his face. It tugged on both their hearts to see their youngest son in a wheelchair, but he was looking as fit and healthy as ever. The last time they'd seen him he'd been pale and sad in a hospital bed. They hurried over and before Auggie managed to say anything Carol had wrapped her arms around her youngest son. Auggie quickly reciprocated the embrace and pulled her in for a warm hug.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

Ten minutes later they reached Auggie's car.

"Nice car Auggie," John said as Auggie popped the trunk. "It looks like it's brand new."

"I got it back in May, so yeah, it's almost new."

John loaded the bags into the trunk while Auggie got settled in the driver's seat. He decided to let his parents sit together in the back seat and put his wheelchair in the front passenger seat like he usually did. A few minutes later they were on the road, heading back to Auggie's house in Tysons Corner. To Auggie's relief conversation flowed easily and by the time he pulled into his garage he was pretty much caught up on what was going on with all of his older brothers. Just as Auggie settled back into his wheelchair the garage door opened and Annie appeared in the doorway.

"Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Annie Walker. Annie, this is my parents, John and Carol Anderson."

"Nice to meet you Annie," Carol said with a smile as she took Annie's offered hand.

"Likewise Mrs. Anderson."

"It's Carol. I don't like to be so formal."

"Neither do I," John said as he shook Annie's hand a few moments later. "I'm John."

"Nice to meet you John. If you follow me I'll show you your room for the next few days. Auggie, why don't you get started on some lunch for us? You know how useless I am in the kitchen."

* * *

"You're going to the Wilkins' for dinner tonight, right?" Auggie asked his parents a little later in the afternoon.

"Yeah. Do you have the number for a local cab service? We should probably call and order a car to take us over there."

"One of us can drive you," Annie offered.

"Are you sure?" John asked.

"Yes, we don't have plans tonight, we're just spending a quiet night here. Auggie's been a bit under the weather for the past few days so we just want to take it easy and relax before the rest of the family arrives tomorrow."

"What's wrong Auggie? Why didn't you tell us you're not feeling well?" Carol asked with worry lacing her voice.

"It's just a cold Mom. I'm almost back to normal now, don't worry about it," Auggie said as he shot Annie an annoyed look. He wasn't very pleased that she'd told his parents that he wasn't feeling well.

"That's good to hear. I'm happy to help if you need anything. We don't expect to be waited on, I hope you know that."

"I know Mom and I appreciate it. I'm sure I'll take you up on that offer when the rest of the family arrives, but for now I think Annie and I can manage."

* * *

Thursday morning Auggie's brothers and their families arrived. The first to arrive was Matt together with their oldest brother James and his wife Amy and their 14-year old twins, James jr. and Jennifer. They all greeted him warmly, but Auggie noticed that Jennifer was a bit insecure and awkward when she greeted him. He didn't have much time to ponder over it, because only a few minutes later Josh arrived with his fiancée Meredith in tow. The reunion between the two was emotional, but joyful. Both Josh and Auggie were truly happy to see each other again. The last Anderson brother to arrive was Mark, his wife Jaclyn and their six-year-old son Nick. Nick was very excited to see his uncle Auggie again and he climbed into Auggie's lap and gave him a warm hug.

The day was spent watching football and the Macy's parade, before it was time for dinner. Auggie, Annie and Carolyn had prepared a huge meal and as they all settled in around the dining room table Auggie felt a wave of happiness and peace wash over him. He had missed his family and it made him truly happy that they were all gathered again. As his family finally settled down he cleared his throat as he gently tapped his knife against his glass. When they fell silent he spoke.

"First of all I want to thank you all for coming here. You have no idea how much this means to me. I've missed you and I hope that we can move forward from now on. My very wise mother said, "what's said is said and what's done is done" and I think she's right. As much as I regret some of the things I've said and done over the past few years I can't take them back. I'm truly thankful that you're all here and I hope we can spend many holidays together in the future." Auggie raised his glass with an expectant look and to his relief he was met with similar sentiments from his famiy.

* * *

**Stay tuned for more Thanksgiving with the Anderson's in the next chapter.**

**Reviews are appreciated - please let me know what you think.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites :o)**

**I know I said I was hoping to have something for those of you that are following "The Volunteer" this weekend, but the muse took another left turn. One of my wonderful readers gave me a wonderful story idea and it took off with the muse. Sorry, she's being terrible.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing... :o(**

* * *

**-Chapter 7-**

"I think that went pretty well," Annie said as she changed into her PJ's late Thanksgiving evening. Auggie's parents were settled into one guestroom and Mark, Jaclyn and Nick were staying in the other. The rest of the Anderson's had headed back to their hotel about an hour earlier. Annie had picked up on some tension, but in general she felt like things had gone better than Auggie had feared.

"Yeah, I guess it did," Auggie said flatly. He was sitting in his wheelchair, leaning forward, and resting his forearms on his thighs.

"What's wrong? Did something happen that I didn't pick up?"

"It's no big deal Annie. I'm just tired. I'm still not feeling 100% and it has been a long couple of days."

"I get that Aug, I'm tired too. But I think there's more to it than that," Annie said as she sat down on the bed across from Auggie and grasped his hand. Auggie sighed. Annie was scarily perceptive and always seemed to pick up on things, even when he tried to hide him from her. In the short time they'd known each other she'd broken through several of the walls he'd put up over the years since his accident.

"My niece seems to avoid me like I've got the plague, we were close before. Jen is into computers and I've spent plenty of time with her on my lap or next to me teaching her stuff. I also noticed that Josh stiffens up every time he sees me, I can see the flicker of guilt and pity crossing his face. Some of the others are a bit awkward too, but not more than I expected."

"I noticed that Jennifer seemed a bit stiff, but I had no idea the two of you were so close before. Hopefully you can spend some one-on-one time with her over the next couple of days. Maybe that will make things better. I think the same goes for Josh. Maybe you should try to talk with him in private? Clear the air like you did with Matt?"

"I think you might be on to something. I guess need to work through it in my own a little bit. Right now I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything and I sort of regret taking on all of them at once. It probably would've been easier breaking them up in groups."

"Well, get to bed and try to get some sleep. Things always look better in the morning, you said so yourself, remember?"

Auggie nodded and headed into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Fifteen minutes later they were both settled into bed, Annie was curled up against Auggie and within a few minutes they were both fast asleep.

* * *

The next day Auggie woke to the sounds of Annie rummaging trough her side of the closet, looking for something to wear. He glanced at the alarm clock before he propped himself up on his elbows and looked at her with a confused expression on his face.

"It's 5:45 AM. Why on earth are you up already?"

"It's Black Friday Auggie! I'm going to the mall with your Mom, Amy, Jaclyn, Meredith and the kids. It opens at 6:30, so I'm running late already."

"Crazy woman!" Auggie said as he flopped back town on the pillows. He had no intentions of getting up anytime soon. "Have fun. When will you be back? Does lunch at noon sound okay?"

"Yeah, we'll be more than ready for food by then I think. See you later. Love you!" Annie said as she leaned down and kissed Auggie before rushing out of the room. He pulled the covers closer around him and drifted off to sleep again within seconds.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Auggie woke up again a couple of hours later and after a quick shower and shave he pulled on a pair of soft, worn jeans and a fitted navy Henley shirt. When he entered the kitchen his father and Mark was already there, as well as Mark's son Nick.

"Good morning," he greeted them with a smile.

"Morning Auggie. There's coffee ready, but we haven't started breakfast yet, we figured we'd wait for you in case you have plans."

"I hadn't made any firm plans. I've got eggs, bacon, English muffins, bagels, cereal…the works really."

"You've got English muffins?" Mark asked with a devilish grin. Auggie caught on immediately.

"Egg McMuffins a la the Andersons?" he asked as he pulled a carton of eggs, together with a pack of bacon from the fridge and placed them in his lap.

"You read my mind bro! Do you have egg rings?"

"Of course!" Auggie set the eggs and bacon on the counter by the hob and pulled two frying pans from the drawer next to it. "They're in the top drawer under the coffee maker. I think they're on the right side."

Mark easily found them and joined Auggie by the stove. Just as Auggie was cracking the eggs into the egg rings in the frying pan Nick came up to him.

"Uncle Auggie?" he said tentatively.

"Yeah?" Auggie didn't turn away from the stove as he worked.

"Do you have any video games?"

"I do, both a Playstation and a Wii."

"Awesome! Can I play?"

"If your dad says it's okay," Auggie answered, turning to Mark who was frying bacon.

"Sure, but only 'till breakfast is ready, okay Nick?"

"Awesome," Nick said as he jumped up and down with excitement.

"Do you mind taking over here for a few minutes?" Auggie asked Mark.

"Not at all."

"Okay Nick, get up here," Auggie said, grasping him and lifting him to sit on his lap. They left the kitchen and headed for the den. When they got there Nick scooted off his lap and watched as Auggie dug out the games he had that were kid-friendly and Nick landed on the most recent Super Mario game. Auggie loaded it into the Wii and handed Nate the remote for the TV and the controller for the Wii.

"You all set?" Auggie asked as he turned to go back to the kitchen and help Mark and his dad with breakfast.

"Yeah, thanks uncle Auggie."

"No problem kiddo. One of us will come get you when breakfast is ready."

Nick didn't answer; he was too preoccupied with setting up his game.

* * *

Downtown at the Hilton Garden Inn Matt and Josh were sitting at a table in the breakfast room. They had finished eating and were drinking coffee and catching up.

"Auggie seems to be doing well," Josh commented. "But I don't understand how he managed to hook up with Annie."

"What do you mean? Auggie has always managed to get ladies. I told you how they met, didn't I?"

"It's just….I don't understand why a hottie like her would want to be with a guy like him. She cold probably get whoever she wants, why pick a guy in a wheelchair?"

"Seriously Josh, are we really having this conversation?" Matt said, shaking his head, his annoyance was evident. "Auggie is still Auggie, he might be in a wheelchair now, but that doesn't change the fact that he's good looking, smart and funny. I'm happy he has found someone that sees that and I think Annie is a big part of why he is finally getting back in touch with us. I really like her. I spent some time with her the last time I was here remember? She's really great."

Josh sighed and raked a hand through his hair. "I guess you have a point. It's just… this is hard Matt; it's harder than I thought it would be. I'm glad Auggie is getting back in touch with us, but seeing him again brought up the old guilt. I know he says he doesn't blame anyone, but every time I see him in a wheelchair all I can think about is how we shouldn't have pushed him to go skiing with us."

"I know bro, I think that from time to time too, but Auggie seems to have moved on and if he's able to get past those feelings we should be too." Just as Matt finished speaking his cell phone chirped with a text message. "Speak of the devil, Augs says lunch will be ready for all of us at noon. I guess the women should be done shopping by then."

"Or at least be ready for a break," Josh said with a laugh. He was glad he'd talked things out with Matt, but he realized he should try to get some time alone with Auggie before they returned to Illinois.

* * *

After lunch the whole family gathered in the living room. Auggie noticed that Jennifer was sitting in one of the armchairs away from the rest of the family with her MacBook Pro on her lap. He excused himself from the conversation he was in with Matt and headed over to her.

"Hey Jen, what are you working on?" he asked as he positioned himself next to her and secured the brakes on his wheelchair.

"Just an app," she answered without looking up from her computer.

"Wanna show me?"

"Sure," she said as she retrieved her iPad from the side table next to the chair, unlocked the screen and handed it to Auggie. He grabbed it from her with a smile. "It's that one, " she said pointing to an icon on the bottom of the screen.

"You made this?" he asked after exploring it for a few minutes.

"Yeah, it's just something I've been messing around with."

"It's pretty impressive, you've learned a lot since the last time I saw you," Auggie said as he handed the iPad back to her.

"I guess," she said with a shrug. "It's not done yet though. Still needs some work."

"Well, ask me if you need any help. I might be able to give you some pointers."

"You make apps too?"

"Not really, but for the latest software I've helped develop for Murphy they've made an app to go with it. I've had to learn a thing or two about it to integrate the app with the main software."

That seemed to get Jennifer's attention. She put the Mac on the side table with the iPad and turned to Auggie. "Can you show me Uncle Auggie?"

"Sure, let's go into my office. I've got the latest beta of the software on my computer there and the app on my iPad."

Half an hour later Auggie had demonstrated Murphy's latest software and the app to Jennifer and she finally seemed to relax around him. As Auggie was shutting down his computer he turned to Jennifer who was sitting next to him.

"Listen Jen, I've noticed you've been sort of avoiding me since you arrived yesterday. If there's something you want to ask me I'm happy to answer."

Jennifer looked at him with a shy look on her face.

"Oh, um…it's just so strange to see you in a wheelchair. I just didn't know what to say or do…I realize now that I've been acting silly. You're still Uncle Auggie, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'd like to think I haven't changed that much, it's just my legs that don't work," Auggie said with a smile.

"I'm sorry Uncle Auggie." Jennifer said as she wrapped her arm around his shoulders. "I'm glad you invited us. I've missed talking with you about computer stuff."

"You've got nothing to apologize for Jen. Now, we've still got a couple of days to go before you go back to Glencoe, and there's always email and Skype. I promise to keep in touch and if you need help with something let me know, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," Jennifer said as James appeared in the doorway.

"There you two are. Are you up for a game of Monopoly? Mom spotted it on the shelf in the den and got all excited. Dad, Annie and I are game and we have room for two more players. Josh, Matt, Nick and Jim seems to be stuck in the den playing Super Mario."

"What do you say Jen?" Auggie asked.

"Sounds like fun! But do you think you can help me with my app later? I've got a few things I was hoping you could help me with."

"Sure! I'd be happy to," Auggie said as he followed James out of the room. He was glad he had broken the ice with Jennifer. Next on the list was Josh, but for now he figured he'd enjoy a round of Monopoly with his family.

* * *

**The Anderson's are adjusting to Auggie in a wheelchair and he's adjusting to them.**

**The next chapter will deal with the rest of the visit, including the one-on-one conversation between Auggie and Josh.**

**Please leave a review, you know I love them. :o)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you again for the reviews, follows and favorites. :o)**

**This is the last chapter dealing with the Thanksgiving celebration and Auggie's family visiting. It's not the last we see of Auggie's family in this story though. ;o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**

* * *

**-Chapter 8-**

Saturday morning Auggie woke up with Annie's head resting on his left shoulder and her left arm draped across his chest. They'd spent Friday afternoon playing games and then his mother and sisters-in-law had insisted on preparing dinner. Auggie had tried to argue that they were his guests and shouldn't have to cook, but his mother had told him it was an argument he wasn't going to win. Auggie had accepted the defeat and had spent some time helping Jennifer with her app instead. He was glad she seemed to be relaxing around him again. He idly played with Annie's hair and after a few minutes she stirred.

"Morning," he greeted her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I always sleep well in your arms Auggie," she said as she placed a peck on his cheek, before laying back down. "What time is it?"

Auggie turned and looked at the alarm clock. "8:45. I guess I should get up and start preparing breakfast."

"Can we just cuddle for a little while longer? I don't feel like getting up just yet."

"I guess a few more minutes won't hurt. My family seems to have figured out how to work the coffee maker so they'll be okay."

Auggie wrapped his arm firmer around Annie and they drifted off to a slumber again. A rap on the bedroom door waked them over an hour later.

"Yeah," Auggie answered groggily. The door opened and his mother, dressed in flannel pajama pants and a T-shirt, took a step into the room. The sight of Auggie and Annie cuddled together in the bed brought a smile to her face. "Just wanted to let you know that breakfast will be ready in about 10 minutes. No need to get dressed. We're all in PJ's."

"What time is it?"

"Almost 10. Time to get up son," Carol said with a smile as she left the room.

"Shit," Auggie said as the door closed behind his mother. Annie got out of bed and hurried into the bathroom. Auggie sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. It had been a long time since he'd slept that long. He settled into his wheelchair and headed over to the dresser to find a couple of sweatshirts they could pull over their PJ's.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

10 minutes later they entered the kitchen. Carol and Jaclyn were just finishing setting the table and the smell of his mother's blueberry pancakes brought a smile to Auggie's face. He'd bought fresh blueberries hoping she'd make them for breakfast one day.

"I felt bad for sleeping in, now I'm glad I did," Auggie said with a laugh as the family greeted them.

"I saw the blueberries in the fridge when we made dinner last night and I figured I'd make you your favorite breakfast," Carolyn said as she gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "Would you mind fetching Nick from the den? Maybe you'll have more luck than I had with prying him away from Mario."

"Sure Mom."

Five minutes later Auggie returned with Nick on his lap. Auggie had gotten lucky and had caught him just as he finished a level. Before Nick had realized what was going on Auggie had turned off the TV and grabbed him from the ottoman he was sitting on and placed him on his lap.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

In the afternoon the women decided on yet another trip to the mall and the Anderson men, including Jim and Nick, were gathered at Auggie's house. Josh was absent, he'd claimed he had a headache and opted to stay in his hotel room to take a nap before they were all meeting for dinner that evening. Auggie had a feeling something wasn't right and excused himself and went into his office. He closed he door behind him and pulled his iPhone out of his jeans pocket. A few moments later Josh picked up the phone.

"Hey Auggie, anything wrong?"

"I was about to ask you the same question. Matt says you're not feeling well, but you don't sound very sick."

Josh sighed. He realized he couldn't fool Auggie, but at the same time he didn't want to fess up just like that. "Just a little headache. Figured some quiet would do the trick. I'll be at your house for dinner, don't worry."

"Can I come down there? I think we need to talk in private."

Josh hesitated before he answered. "Sure. I'm in room 428."

"Great. See you soon," Auggie ended the call and left his office. He dropped by the den to let his dad and brothers know he'd be gone for a little bit before he went out into the foyer and pulled on a coat, scarf and gloves. Just as he was about to leave Matt came out of the den. He was pretty sure he knew where Auggie was going.

"Want me to drive you Aug? We've got the rental here."

"Nah, I'd drive myself if I needed to, but the hotel is only 10 minutes down the road, there's no snow and I need some fresh air. See you later. Make yourselves at home, you know where to find stuff now, right?"

"Yep, we're good. See you later Aug."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Auggie knocked on Josh's hotel room door. He opened and let Auggie in. After locking the door behind Auggie he sat down on the edge of the bed with a heavy sigh. He raked a hand through his dark brown hair before he leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. Auggie shrugged out of his coat and hung it on the chair by the desk with his scarf before he positioned himself so he was face to face with Josh.

"What's going on Josh? I thought you agreed to come here to spend time with me and the rest of the family this weekend and I hoped we could clear the air, but it's not easy when you avoid me."

Josh didn't speak at once; he hung his head and tried to gather his thoughts. When he finally spoke his voice was thick with emotion. "I'm…I'm sorry Auggie…for everything. For persuading you to go skiing, for acting like such a jerk, for being such a crap brother…" his voice trailed off and he had to fight hard to keep the tears from flooding down his cheeks. "I'm sorry you were injured, it should be me sitting in that wheelchair, not you."

"Josh! Shut up and listen to me," Auggie said firmly. "It's not your fault that I was injured and it's not Matt's fault either. It was just bad luck. I don't blame you or anyone else for what happened, I really don't. I know what I said at the hospital three years ago, but I was a mess back then, physically and emotionally. Just half an hour before you guys came a doctor had told me I'd never walk again. I was devastated and angry and I let it out on you, Matt, Mom and Dad. If I could take it back I would, every single word. But I can't. I can only hope that we can let go of the past."

Josh looked at Auggie with a look of disbelief on his face.

"You…mean that? You really don't blame us? Matt said you didn't, but..."

Auggie shook his head. "No. I don't. It was an accident, pure and simple. It was no one's fault. And if anyone is a crap brother it's me. I'm the one that has spent the past three years holed up in my house, living like a hermit as Annie put it a couple of months back."

"Well, it's a two way street. I haven't exactly reached out either."

"Okay, so we're both crap brothers," Auggie said with a smile. "I invited you all here because Annie made me realize how much I miss you all and that it's time to move on. It's time to let the past be the past and look to the future, don't you think?"

"You do have a point."

"You know I do. Otherwise you wouldn't be here," Auggie said firmly.

"Busted," Josh said with a small, insecure smile. "I've missed you."

"And I've missed you too," Auggie said as he moved a couple of feet forward and put his hand on Josh's shoulder. "Is your headache gone, want come back to the house with me?"

Josh nodded and pulled Auggie in for a hug before he got to his feet and retrieved his coat from the closet.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Annie seems nice," Josh said as they were heading back Auggie's house.

"That she is. She's really something special and I feel incredibly lucky that a woman like that wants to be with me. I know she'll have to face some of the prejudice I face, people will question why she's choosing to be with a guy in a wheelchair and stuff like that, but she says it doesn't matter to her. She want's to be with me and everyone else can mind their own business."

"Well, I must admit I did have some of those thoughts after meeting her, but Matt kicked some sense in to me. I'm sorry for thinking that. I'm glad you met her and she made you realize it was time for our family to move on. We've all missed you."

"Well, enough about me. What's been going on in your world for the past three years?"

"I got a new job, I don't know if Matt or Mom has told you?"

"No, I haven't heard anything about that. You're not a sports journalist at the Tribune anymore?"

"Nope. I took some evening classes in web design and social media, that's where I met Meredith, and I'm working for the Cubs now. I'm running their website, Facebook page and Twitter account."

"That's great. Sounds like something right up your alley."

"Yep. I love it."

They chatted easily for the remaining walk back to the house and by the time they entered the foyer they were both caught up on what had been going on in the other's lives and most of the tension between them was gone.

* * *

Sunday evening Auggie and Annie were alone in the house. Auggie's family was on a plane to O'Hare and they were sitting by the dining table, eating the Chinese takeout they had picked up on the way back from Reagan.

"I feel a bit bad for saying this, but I'm almost relieved that they've left," Auggie said. "I'm glad everything went so well and I really feel like we cleared the air and that we're headed in the right direction, but I'm tired. It has been pretty emotional at times, especially dealing with Josh."

"I know Auggie. I'm tired too. I've met a lot of new people in a short time, but I've enjoyed it too. I like your family, your Mom is great."

"Yeah, Mom's great," Auggie said with a smile. "Thanks Annie."

"For what? You did most of the work."

"You did plenty too. And you were there for me. Without you this wouldn't have happened. I appreciate that you gave up Thanksgiving with your family to support me."

"That's what being in a relationship is all about, right? We support each other and when I need it you'll be there to back me up."

"You know I would. Now about the moving…" Auggie said, changing the subject and they started planning Annie's move the coming week.

* * *

**Hope you liked it :o)**

**Please leave a review and let me know!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm blown away by the love for this story - each review, follow and favorite means a lot to me.**

**I'm on a roll, so here's a new chapter. The muse is spoiling you, dear readers. Enjoy it while it lasts. There's no guarantee to how long she's as willing as she has been lately.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.**

* * *

**-Chapter 9-**

"So, are you ready for tomorrow," Annie asked Auggie over dinner the first Sunday in January. The following day would be his first day working from the Murphy offices in DC and he was nervous. A tech crew from Murphy had been out to get his equipment the previous Friday and they would set up his office over the weekend.

"As ready as I can be, I guess," Auggie said as he dug his fork into his pasta. "I know the job, that's not changing. I'm just a bit weary about people's reactions."

"I know and I understand that I can't be easy, but you're only 29 years old Auggie, you can't spend the rest of your life coped up in this house. I think it's time for you to re-join the real world."

"I know Annie," Auggie said with a smile. "For the most part I'm looking forward to it, I know most of the people I'll be working with already. Anyway, have you got a new assignment yet?"

"No, I got a request to do a travel piece, but I turned it down. I'm done with travelling for a while. I want to spend some time living a normal everyday life with you."

"I like the thought of that too, but I understand if you have to go away to work from time to time. I know that your job does involve some travel."

"I appreciate that Auggie, I just don't feel like travelling right now. For the first time in my life I feel like settling down. You have a lot to do with that. I've never felt so at home anywhere before."

"Really?"

"Really. I told you I grew up as a military brat, right? My childhood was pretty rootless. My college years was the first time I actually lived somewhere for more than a year and a half."

Auggie nodded. Annie had told him a bit about her upbringing, living at military bases around the US and a few places overseas as well. "I'm glad you feel at home here. I like this house a lot better with you around. I didn't realize how empty and quiet it was until you came into my life."

Annie reached over and grabbed Auggie's hand. "Good thing we found each other."

* * *

When Auggie pulled into his parking space in the basement of the building where the Murphy offices were located he felt more nervous than he'd anticipated. He hadn't gotten much sleep that night and he felt a bit silly for feeling so nervous. With a sigh he pulled the parts of his wheelchair from the seat beside him and reassembled it. Just as he transferred from the drivers seat to the wheelchair the booming voice of Arthur Campbell called out his name. Auggie closed and locked the car and turned to face his boss.

"Good morning Arthur," he said with a smile. "Enjoy the holidays?"

"As much as you can expect with the in-laws in town," Arthur said with a small chuckle. "What about you? Have a good time?"

"Absolutely. My girlfriends parents and one of my brothers and his family spent Christmas with us, it was good."

They reached the bank of elevators and waited in silence. When they were alone in an elevator Arthur spoke again.

"Rumor has it that you're in a relationship with Annie Walker. Is that true?"

"Yes. She moved in right after we finished our assignment, but we started dating a couple of months before that. Why, is that a problem?" Auggie suddenly felt worried. He knew Murphy wasn't thrilled about inter-office relationships, but because he'd met Annie before they were assigned to work together and Annie wasn't a Murphy employee he hadn't thought it was a problem.

"I have to admit I wasn't thrilled when I heard about it. You do know our inter-office dating policies, right?"

"I'm aware of those, but I knew Annie before we started working together and since Annie's not a Murphy employee I didn't think it was a problem. I really didn't mean to break any rules." Auggie realized he was stretching the truth a bit, but it was clear that Arthur wasn't happy and he wanted to get him off his back.

"It's okay Auggie. Just don't run around and hit on every secretary in the building, okay?"

"I don't think Anne would appreciate that and I plan on keeping her in my life, so you don't have to worry about that."

The elevators reached the 11th floor, the lower level of the Murphy offices were located there and Auggie headed out of the elevater.

"Good. I'm glad to have you back at the office Auggie. Well, you should head down to HR to get a set of keys to the offices and an updated employee ID. I'll talk to you later."

"Thanks Arthur. I'll see you around," Auggie said as he turned and headed down the hallway to the HR office.

* * *

"Here's your office Mr. Anderson," Shelley from HR said as she walked in front of him into a decent sized office with floor to ceiling windows on one wall. It was furnished with a big, L-shaped glass-topped desk. One side was filled with his computer equipment; the other was empty with two black leather chairs in front of it. The wall behind the desk was lined was lined with low shelves, containing a few binders and some computer equipment. Auggie was blown away; he hadn't expected a big, fancy office at all. All of a sudden something hit him; they'd probably given him a bigger office because of his disability, to make it easier for him to get aroun. The thought made him cringe. Special treatment was the last thing he wanted.

"Are you sure? Three years ago I was in one of the cubicles," he asked as she handed him the keys for the office. "I don't want special treatment because I'm in a wheelchair. A cubicle will work just fine."

"Three years ago you were an entry-level junior engineer fresh out of college. All of our senior engineers have similar offices. It has nothing to do with your disability."

"Oh, well…thanks."

"No problem. If you need anything you know where to find me," Shelley said as she patted Auggie's shoulder and left the office.

* * *

An hour later he was sitting by the desk, reading through the specs for the next project he'd be running. The junior developers Eric Barber and Stuart Heatherton were assigned to work with him for the duration of it. They had worked together from time to time in the past year and he liked both of them, but they'd never met in person. Just when he thought he ought find out where in the offices the worked or call them into his office to say hi and take a look at the project a knock on his doorjamb caught his attention.

"Speak of the devil," Auggie said with a smile. Stu and Barber were standing in the doorway, Auggie recognized them from their Skype sessions. "I was just about to call you or find you to say hi. Come on in."

"I guess we beat you to it," Barber said with a smile. "Nice to finally meet you Auggie. Looks like we'll be working together for the next few months."

Stu and Barber shook hands with Auggie and he suggested they get their laptops and copies of the project specs so they could go through it together. That seemed to surprise Stu. "Really? I mean you're running the project. Most of the time the senior engineers just dump the tedious stuff they don't want to do themselves on us."

"I'd like to think I'm not one of them. I know I'll be running the project, but I'm hoping we can work together and make it a team effort."

"We share the office right across the hall," Barber said. "We'll be right back."

Both men left the room and a few minutes they were back and settled in on the chairs by Auggie's desk.

* * *

When Augge entered the house that evening he was surprised with the aroma of Mexican food hitting his nose. Cooking was usually his department, Annie wasn't as much of a klutz in the kitchen as she pretended to be, but she was far from as capable as Auggie. He hung his brown leather jacket and his scarf in the closet in the foyer, deposited his wallet, house- and car keys in their place on the table there and headed into the kitchen. Annie was just finishing setting the food on the kitchen table when Auggie entered the room.

"You cooked! This is a pleasant surprise," he said with a smile. Anne quickly headed over to him and kissed him passionately on the lips.

"Well, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't have dinner ready for my man when he's been at work all day? How was it to be back in the office?"

"It was great. The new project I'm working on is going to be demanding, but I'm working with two great developers, I've worked with them a few times before."

"I'm so happy to hear that! Well, is served, are you hungry?"

"Starving. We were so immersed in work that we forgot to eat lunch. I just had a power bar and a lots of coffee."

They settled in by the table and while they ate Auggie told Annie about his day, but he decided not to tell her about his conversation with Arthur Campbell that morning.

"What about you? Did anything happen for you workwise?" Auggie asked as they started to clear the table.

"I got a couple of translation assignments, but nothing major. I'm almost regretting turning down that travel piece," she sighed.

"Don't worry. I'm sure something will come up soon."

"I hope so," Annie said as she turned the dishwasher on. Auggie came up to her and pulled her down so she was sitting on his lap. "Otherwise I won't have rent money this month."

"Annie, rent is the last thing you need to worry about," he said as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I know that and I really appreciate it, but I want to pay my share of things."

"I realize how strongly you feel about that, but it's not like I depend on your rent money to get by. Can we please move on from the rather tedious subject of money?"

"Yeah, we can," Annie said. "I'm ready to watch some TV, how about you?"

"Maybe a little. I'm knackered and I'm going to bed early. I have a feeling I won't be much fun on weekdays anymore."

"As long as you're fun on the weekends I can live with it," Annie said with a smile as she kissed Auggie and got to her feet. "It's only 8 at night, I'm sure you can manage an hour or two of watching TV before your head hits the pillow."

"Yeah, and if I fall asleep on the couch you'll just have to carry me to bed."

"Oh har... You think you're so funny."

* * *

**So, Auggie's working in the Murphy offices again and Annie is living with him...**

**What do you think?**

**I love reviews, but you already knew that, right? ;o)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks again for the reviews, follows and favorites! :o)**

**I thought the "Volunteer" muse was on a roll, but she hit a dead end about 840 words into the next chapter. It sucks, I know. I really hope she decides to get busy real soon!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ****anything; wish it did though... ;o)**

* * *

**-Chapter 10-**

A Saturday afternoon in the middle of January Auggie and Annie were both sitting on the couch, Annie was reading a book and Auggie was catching up on his Twitter timeline on his iPad when his iPhone started ringing. It was Josh. Ever since they'd cleared the air at Thanksgiving they'd stayed in touch on a regular basis.

"Hi Josh, what's up?" Auggie greeted his brother.

"Hi Aug. I need a favor."

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Would you mind if I crash in one of your guestrooms Thursday to Friday next week? I know it's short notice, but I'm attending a conference and there's been a screw-up with my hotel reservation and all the rooms available now are ridiculously overpriced."

"No problem! What about extending your stay a bit, stay the weekend? That would allow us to spend some time together. We haven't seen each other since Thanksgiving."

"I'd really like that. Do you think Annie is okay with that?"

"Oh, absolutely. Email me your itinerary, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks Aug. I really appreciate it. Anyway, how has your first weeks back at the office been?" Josh asked Auggie. "Do you regret deciding to stop working at home?"

"I'm still not a huge fan of commuting every day, but being back at the office is good. I didn't realize how much I've missed being part of the team and having co-workers 'till now. Or maybe I just haven't allowed myself to."

"Well, I'm glad it's working out for you. I know you had some reservations about it."

They chatted for a few more minutes before ending the call. When Auggie placed he phone back in his pocket and retrieved his iPad from the couch Annie was looking at him with a questioning look on her face.

"Who's coming to stay?" she asked.

"Josh. He's coming to town for a conference next Thursday and there's been a mix up with his hotel reservation and he asked if he could stay here. I hope it's okay?"

"Of course. He'll be here Thursday to Sunday next week?"

"Yep! He'll be at the conference all day Thursday and Friday. I asked him to stay 'till Sunday so we can spend some time together."

"Sounds good. It will be good for you two to spend some time together. If you want some male bonding time I'm sure Danielle won't mind if I come over."

"As much as male bonding sounds fun I want you two to get to know each other, okay?"

"I'd like that Auggie," Annie said as she put her book down on the coffee table and cuddled up next to him. He took the hint and put the iPad down before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, until they decided it was time to cook dinner.

* * *

Late in the afternoon the following Thursday Josh entered the foyer of the building where the Murphy offices were located with his wheelie bag in tow and headed over to the reception desk. Auggie had told him to just come over when he was done for the day and he could catch a ride with him back to his house.

"How may I help you sir?" the female receptionist greeted him.

"I'm here to see August Anderson at Murphy Software."

"Your name sir?"

"Joshua Anderson, I'm his brother."

"One moment please," she said as she picked up a phone. She exchanged a few sentences with Auggie and few moments later she hung up.

"Mr. Anderson's office is on the 13th floor, his office is number 1343, take a right when you step out of the elevator and it's on the left side of the hallway."

"Thanks," he said as he grabbed the visitor badge she handed him and headed over to the bank of elevators. Ten minutes later he reached Auggie's office. He was slightly awestruck when he saw his baby brother's spacious office; it sure was nicer than his own small office at Wrigley Field. He lightly knocked on the doorjamb.

* * *

A light knock on his doorjamb caught Auggie's attention. In the 10 minutes since the receptionist had called and he'd told her to send Josh up he'd tried to tie up a few loose ends before going home for the day. He looked up to see Josh standing in the doorway with a black wheelie bag next to him.

"Josh! Come on in," Auggie said with a smile. "I just have a couple of things to finish. Give me a few minutes and we'll be out of here, okay?"

"No problem Augs," Josh said. He left his bag by the door and settled in to one of the chairs by Auggie's desk. Thanks to a phone call it was almost half an hour later when Auggie finally logged off his computer and put his coat and scarf on.

"Sorry about that. Let's get out of here," he said as he grabbed his wallet and keys from the top desk drawer and made sure he had his iPhone.

When they reached Auggie's car Josh loaded his bag into the trunk while Auggie settled into the drivers seat.

"Okay Josh, want to ride up front with me or do you want to sit in the back?"

"Up front with you." Josh seemed slightly confused by the question. "Why?"

"Then I need you to give me a hand. I usually keep the wheelchair in the passenger seat, but if you put it in the back for me you can sit there."

"Oh, sure. I didn't think about that," Josh said, he looked a bit flustered.

"Don't worry about it. Here," Auggie said as he released one of the wheels and handed it to Josh. "Just stash it in the back seat." Ten minutes later Auggie pulled into traffic and headed toward Tysons Corner.

"Sweet ride Augs," Josh commented as he admired the interior of Auggie's BMW. "Do you still have the 'Vette by the way?"

"Yeah, it's in the garage. I'll probably put it up for sale in the spring."

"Really? I thought that was your dream car."

"Well…it is, but it's a collector's car with a manual transmission. There's no way to adapt it so I can drive it and it doesn't really make sense to keep paying taxes and insurance on it. Besides, I'm sure Annie would appreciate a garage space for her car too."

"I guess that makes sense. How's living together working out by the way?"

"It's great. I keep wondering when we'll have our first fall out though, things are almost too good to be true."

"Oh, it'll come soon enough, I'm sure. Meredith and I had lived together for almost six months before we had a big argument. She didn't talk to me for two days."

"That's harsh."

"Nah, I deserved it. Mom had to talk some sense into me before I admitted I was wrong."

"We can always count on Mom to kick some sense into us, can't we?" Auggie said with a laugh.

"Yep, we sure can."

* * *

When they entered the house 40 minutes later Annie warmly greeted them both. She kissed Auggie and hugged Josh.

"I've started on dinner like you asked me to Auggie. If you finish the cooking I'll set the table."

"Great, thanks Annie," Auggie said as he turned and headed into the kitchen.

"Thanks for letting me stay with you," Josh said to Annie they followed Auggie into the kitchen.

"No problem. I'd like to get to know Auggie's family and I know he missed you and wants to spend time with you."

"Hey Annie. 'He' is about 3 feet away and there's nothing wrong with 'his' hearing," Auggie cut in as he placed a wok on the wok burner and turned the gas on.

"I know Aug, sorry," Annie said as she walked up to Auggie, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head before she turned and headed for drawer with the tableware. Josh leaned against the kitchen island and observed the warm interactions and easy banter between his brother and girlfriend. The guilt that had been bothering him since Auggie's accident almost four years earlier was slowly dwindling away. He knew he'd always regret pushing Auggie to go off-piste skiing with him and Matt, but he appeared to have moved on and it was clear to Josh that Annie Walker had a lot to do with the fact that his baby brother seemed to be back to his old self.

* * *

A Wednesday in the middle of February Auggie was at work, deeply immersed in a string of coding when his iPhone rang. He let the call go to voicemail and decided to call whoever it was back when he was done. Just as the iPhone stopped ringing his the phone on his desk started ringing. With a sigh he grabbed the receiver.

"Anderson," he answered, sounding a bit curter than he intended to.

"Auggie?" It was Annie and she sounded like she'd been crying. Any thought of the code vanished from Auggie's head.

"Annie? What's wrong?" his voice was laced with worry.

"I…I fell and I broke my ankle. I'm at the ER, can you come and pick me up?"

"I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"Georgetown University Hospital."

"I'll be right there Annie, okay?"

Annie just sniffled in response, then she managed a strained "Thank you" before she ended the call. He made a quick call to Arthur Campbell who gave him the rest of the week off and then he pulled his coat and scarf from the coatrack in his office. On his way to his car he dropped by Stu and Barber's office to let them know what was going on and that he wouldn't be coming to the office for the rest of the week.

Two hours later Annie was as comfortable as she could be in bed, her leg resting on a pillow. Auggie had gone down to the pharmacy to get her prescribed painkillers. She was drifting off to a slumber when her iPhone started ringing. She grabbed the phone off her nightstand and answered without checking who was calling.

"Hullo…" she said groggily.

"Annie? Are you okay?" It was her sister Danielle.

"Not really. I fell and broke my ankle this morning."

"Oh my God. Do you need me to come over? Anything I can do?"

"I think Auggie's got it covered. He took the rest of the week off work to take care of me."

"That's so nice of him. I'm glad he's taking care of you. Just remember I'm only a phone call away if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks Danielle. I'll keep that in mind when Auggie goes back to work next week."

"Well, the girls are calling, I'd better go. Love you Annie. Tell Auggie I said hi."

"Love you too. Bye."

Annie ended the call and put the phone back on her nightstand. A few minutes later she was slumbering.

"Damn! I guess I'll be pretty much stuck in one place. Crutches aren't working, they make my shoulder and elbow hurt even worse," Annie hissed as she sat down on the edge of the bed the following morning after a trip to the bathroom. She'd slammed her left shoulder pretty hard when she fell and moving around on crutches was painful. Auggie had entered the room just a few seconds before Annie left the bathroom and he remained quiet for a few more moments before he seemed to have an epiphany. "Not necessarily. What about giving my old wheelchair a go? It doesn't take much effort to get around on the smooth floors in the house. It might be less straining on your shoulder than the crutches."

"That could work," Annie said hesitantly. "I'll give it a try. It would be nice to be somewhat mobile."

"I'll go out in the garage and get it and check the air pressure in the tires. I haven't used it since our little experiment back in October."

Ten minutes later Auggie returned from the garage pushing his old wheelchair in front of him. He placed it next to the bed where Annie was sitting.

"Let's give this a try. I've got breakfast ready, so I hope you can get to the kitchen."

With a bit of effort Annie got up from the bed and settled into the wheelchair and followed Auggie toward the kitchen. Her shoulder still hurt a bit as she pushed herself toward the kitchen, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the crutches.

"Thanks Auggie, you're a genius," she exclaimed as she settled in by the table. "Now, where's the food? I'm starving!"

* * *

**As always reviews are greatly appreciated! :o)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites. For the record: I appreciate each and every one, even if it just says "Please update soon." To me that's a sign that you like my writing and is eager to read more. :o) **

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* * *

**-Chapter 11-**

About a month and a half after Annie's accident Auggie was about to lose his patience with her. Her recovery had been slower than anticipated, a follow up exam four days after her fall had shown that the injury to her ankle was more complicated to fix than they first anticipated and it had taken three surgeries to fix it. She had been at the hospital for almost three weeks and it had only been little over three weeks since she'd been released. She still had a long way to go before she was fully recovered. To start with she'd been pretty positive and determined, but as the complications had kept coming she had become increasingly difficult to deal with and she wasn't very cooperative when it came to her physical therapy. It frustrated the hell out of Auggie because he knew that the only thing that was stopping Annie from making a full recovery was Annie herself. Late in his workday a Friday in late March his office phone started ringing. He picked it up.

"Anderson."

"Hi Auggie, it's Michelle." It was Auggie's physical therapist. He'd hired her to work with Annie at home, but he knew Annie hadn't been very cooperative.

"Hi Michelle, what's up?"

"All's good with me, but I need to talk to you about Annie. I don't know how much more I can do for her if she doesn't start to cooperate and put some effort into her exercises."

Auggie sighed and raked a hand through his hair.

"I know Michelle. I just don't know how to motivate her and get her back on track. All of the setbacks and surgeries have taken their toll on her. It's frustrating to me because I know she can make a full recovery if she just works for it."

"I know this has been hard on both of you, but you're one of the most positive and determined patients I've ever worked with. Do you think you could pass some of that on to Annie?" Michelle had been Auggie's physical therapist since right after he was released from rehab three years earlier and she appreciated his drive and determination.

"I'll try, but I'm honestly starting to doubt my ability to be the inspiring and motivational boyfriend." Auggie sighed again.

"I totally understand that, but see what you can do, okay?"

"I'll do my best Michelle. I'll see you for our appointment on Tuesday."

"Thanks Auggie. Try to have a good weekend, okay? See you on Tuesday."

"Thanks Michelle. Have a good weekend. Bye." Auggie ended the call.

* * *

When he arrived at his house a couple of hours later the windows were dark. Auggie sighed. That meant Annie was probably asleep in bed and it wasn't a good sign for how the rest of the evening and the weekend would turn out. He entered the house and just as anticipated he found Annie fast asleep in bed.

"Hey there," he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Oh, hey. I fell asleep," she said with a yawn as she turned on the lamp on her nightstand, the light revealed that she was still wearing her PJ's.

"Have you been in bed all day?" Auggie asked, his annoyance with her was evident.

"Oh God, are you going to start giving me a hard time about that? If you are you can just get the hell out of here and leave me alone."

"Annie… I'm not going to give you a hard time, but you can't spend the rest of your life in bed. Believe me, I of all people understand how hard this is for you, but if you just start putting something into your rehab you have every chance of a full recovery."

"Get out Auggie. I don't wanna talk about this now. I'm tired." She pulled the covers closer around her and turned away from Auggie. That ignited something in him. He leaned forward and pulled the covers off her.

"No Annie. You're not kicking me out of my own bedroom. If you've spent all day asleep you're not tired. Get out of bed, take a shower, get dressed and I'll have dinner ready in about half an hour. We'll talk over some food."

Auggie's tone didn't leave room for argument, but Annie wasn't about to give in that fast.

"I don't feel like getting up."

"This isn't a discussion. Hop to it. You're lucky I'm not able to drag you out of bed and carry you into the shower. If I could I would be doing just that."

Annie sighed heavily and sat up in bed.

"Okay, okay… I'll be a good girl and get out of bed," she said, sounding slightly agitated. Auggie pretended he didn't notice it.

"Good. I'll make us some dinner then. Is spaghetti and meatballs okay?"

"Whatever you want to make is fine, I'm not that hungry anyway," Annie said unenthusiastically as she got out of bed and settled into Auggie's spare wheelchair. Her shoulder still wasn't 100%, although it had healed more than her ankle, but Michelle had suggested she stayed off the crutches as much as possible and it was one of the few things Annie agreed with her on because of how painful it was to move around on crutches. The fact that the house was fully wheelchair accessible made it less of a hassle than to hobble around on crutches as well.

Auggie sighed and headed to the kitchen. At least he's succeeded in getting Annie out of bed.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Half an hour later she had dressed in a pair of yoga pants and one of Auggie's old Henley shirts and headed into the kitchen. She felt a bit guilty for snapping at him, but the past month and a half had been hard. In the brightly lit kitchen she noticed that Auggie looked weary and tired and another wave of guilt washed over her.

"Hey, glad to see you out of bed," he said with a small smile as he set the bowl of meatballs on the table and settled in. They ate in silence for a few minutes. As they were about to finish their meals Auggie decided it was time to cut to the chase.

"Annie, can we please have a conversation without you getting agitated and angry with me? I'm only trying to help you, but I feel like you're fighting me every step of the way. Don't you want to recover?"

"Of course I do! I'm just sick and tired of always being in pain, I just want to be myself again." Annie's voice rose at the end of the sentence.

"I get that, believe me, but without some hard work and the pain that comes with it that won't happen. Annie, you're lucky. The injury to your ankle might have been serious, but your doctor, your orthopedic surgeon and Michelle all say you should be able to make a full recovery. Unfortunately that won't happen unless you cooperate with them and work for it. Here's what I suggest; we take the weekend completely off. I promise not to mention doctors, rehab or Michelle at all for the next 48 hours if you promise me to try to be the determined and positive person I got to know starting Monday morning. Do we have a deal?"

Annie sighed. "Okay. I promise I'll try. Good enough?"

"Yes, as long as you promise to try it's good enough for me. So what do you want to do tonight?"

"I don't know… I just feel like going back to bed."

"Annie, please. You've spent all day in bed. Watch a movie with me or something?"

"Okay, I guess I can watch a movie."

"Good, why don't you go ahead and see if you can find something you want to watch and I'll join you as soon as I finish clearing the table and straightening up the kitchen."

Annie nodded and headed into the living room. Auggie felt a little relieved as he cleaned up after dinner. For the first time in weeks he'd managed to persuade her to stay up and watch a movie with him. He hoped it was the beginning of a change in her mood and attitude. He quickly put a bag of popcorn in the microwave before he continued to stack the dishes in the dishwasher.

* * *

When Auggie woke up Saturday morning he was surprised to find Annie's side of the bed empty. Annie's mood had improved slightly as they watched the movie the previous evening and they'd cuddled in bed for the first time in weeks. He wondered where she was; the wheelchair on her side of the bed was gone, so he figured she was in the house. A couple of minutes later he got his answer when the bathroom door opened and Annie appeared, dressed in jeans and a cashmere sweater instead of the sweats she'd been wearing for the past few weeks.

"Hey there! This is a sight for sore eyes," Auggie said with a bright smile, propping himself up on his elbows.

"I thought about what you said last night. Listen, why don't you shower and get dressed and I'll make us some breakfast and we can talk over food?"

"Sounds good to me," Auggie said with a smile as he got out of bed and headed into the bathroom.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"I'm sorry for the way I've behaved lately Auggie. I'm surprised you haven't totally lost your patience with me," Annie said as they ate their pancakes.

"I won't lie, I've been pretty frustrated for the last couple of weeks. I wasn't always fun to be around during my time in rehab, believe me. What frustrates me is that you have every chance of making a full recovery, but if you don't put any effort into your PT it's not happening. Do you really want to risk having a limp for the rest of your life, maybe depend on a brace to stabilize your ankle and worst case scenario; a cane or crutch?"

Annie hung her head and shook it slowly. "No, I don't. I'm just frustrated with how little progress I'm making and how everything hurts."

"I know the feeling. I didn't even have the hope of getting around without a wheelchair. My rehab was all about learning to live with my disability and be independent again. It was hard to find motivation at times, but I then I thought about Allison."

"Allison?" Annie asked.

"I think I told you about her, the girl I met in rehab that was paralyzed the neck down and depended on a ventilator?"

"Oh, yeah. I remember now. You told me about her not long after we started working together. Do you know what happened to her?"

"She graduated high school, like she wanted to. I actually attended her graduation with a few people that were in rehab with her. Unfortunately I haven't kept in touch with her, but I read her blog from time to time and she seems to be getting along as well as it can be expected. She has completed some college courses and is working toward a bachelors degree."

"That's amazing and I feel like a total crybaby now. I promise I'll try to be more positive, okay?"

"As long as you try I'm happy, 'kay? I hate nagging you all the time, but it drives me crazy that you're possibly wasting the chance to fully recover. I have to admit I kinda' like it when you're in a wheelchair though."

"Why?"

"Because we're the same height. I don't have to look up to be face to face with you."

"Oh, that's right. I haven't thought about it, but I kind of like it too," Annie said with a small smile.

* * *

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	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you so much for the great reception of the previous chapter. I apologize for not replying to them, the last few days at work have been crazy and I was busy all weekend as well. To those of you that left them: THANK YOU ((((BIG HUG))))**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie and Auggie. Just love playing with them! :o)  
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* * *

**-Chapter 12-**

By the end of May Annie was pretty much fully recovered. It still hurt a bit to wear stilettos, but apart from that her ankle was back to normal. After Auggie's 'intervention' Annie had realized that she needed help. He had set up an appointment with the psychologist he'd seen after his accident. The sessions had helped her gain a new perspective on her injury and it also helped her understand why Auggie had been so upset with her. She realized that the fact that she had every chance of making a full recovery, but was wasting it, while he had never had that chance must have been upsetting to him. Auggie's comment about liking her in a wheelchair because they were the same height had also been an eye opener to Annie. She hadn't thought about it until he mentioned it. Lately she had tried to sit down and face him whenever they were talking. Auggie noticed the change and it made him love her even more.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"How do you feel about Paris?" Annie asked Auggie over lunch a Saturday afternoon in the beginning of June.

"In general? Or do you have something more specific in mind?" Auggie was puzzled, he didn't understand where the question came from.

"Well, Judith, you know my editor over at Vagabond, called me yesterday. She wants me to go to Paris for the magazine."

"Okay… What does that have to do with me?"

"She wants it to be about Paris for wheelchair users. After she met you at the hospital after my second surgery she got the idea that we'd be perfect for the job as soon as I was able to go back to work."

"Huh…is that right?" Auggie was surprised and not sure how he felt about being the subject of an article.

"Have you ever been to Paris?" Annie asked. She sensed Auggie's hesitation, but she wasn't about to let it go just yet.

"No. I've only been to Europe once, when I was 10. We visited Dad's relatives in Sweden for some sort of huge family gathering. We were in Stockholm for a few days at the end of the trip."

"This is perfect then. We get to see one of the most beautiful cities in the world together."

Auggie didn't answer. He was still trying to wrap his head around the idea. After a couple of minutes he spoke.

"I'm all for going to Paris, but I've heard it's an absolute nightmare for wheelchair users so I have my reservations. I'm not so sure about the magazine thing either; why can't we just go there on vacation. I can afford to pay for it myself."

Annie sighed. "Well…the thing is that I've turned down a few assignments from Vagabond over the past few months. Judith didn't say it directly, but it was pretty clear that I need to accept this assignment if I want to work for them in the future. There are plenty of freelance writers that are eager to work for them, so I see where she's coming from. I know I said I wasn't took keen on travel assignments, but part of me loves to travel and I'd hate to cut all strings with them."

"I understand that Annie. I've told you before; I know your work involves some travel and I don't mind that. When would we go? I'd have to take some time off work. I know we're starting a big project in August. I'll be in charge of it and when it starts I know I'll be swamped at work. Taking time off to travel will be virtually impossible."

"Well…have you planned any vacation time at all this summer? Didn't Arthur Campbell want you to use some of the days you've accumulated?"

"Yeah, he does. I have to take at least two weeks off, or I'll lose the days. I've got about six weeks of vacation built up and Murphy only allows four. I haven't set the dates yet, but I was thinking about taking the last three weeks in July off. I want to spend at least one of them visiting my family in Illinois, but I didn't want to make any firm plans before we discussed it."

"What about going to Paris the last week of June? I know it's short notice, but we'd avoid the worst heat. Then you could take the last two weeks in July off and go see your family."

Auggie thought for a few seconds before he spoke.

"That could work. I'll check with Arthur on Monday. We're not busy at the moment, so I think he'll okay it. I'm still not thrilled about the magazine thing though, but I understand that it's important to you, so I'll do it."

A bright smile lit up Annie's face.

"Really? You'll do that for me?"

"I'd pretty much do anything for you Annie."

"I know and I love you for it," she said as she leaned forward and kissed Auggie.

* * *

A week later all of the arrangements were made. Auggie had upgraded their tickets from the coach tickets the magazine paid for to first class tickets on a direct flight from Dulles to Charles de Gaulle and they had a room booked at the Novotel Les Halles. They had spent a lot of time researching the levels of accessibility at the tourist attractions and the city in general and were well prepared for their week there. As they had done their research Auggie's enthusiasm had risen and he was actually looking forward to the trip.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"This is actually awesome," Auggie said as they ate lunch their second day in Paris. They were sitting at a sidewalk café in the Marais district, sharing a bottle of red wine and enjoying the French cuisine. Auggie was enjoying himself more than he'd expected to and so far he'd been pleasantly surprised with the level of accessibility. He was glad they'd taken some time to research things beforehand.

"Thanks for dragging me here Annie. I'm glad you persuaded me to go."

"Thank you for coming with me. I know it's supposed to be a work trip, but I still hope we can find some us time."

"I think we're doing just fine so far," Auggie said as he took a sip of his wine. "We're going shopping this afternoon, right?"

"Yeah, I figured that since we're close to the Chatelet Metro station, one of the few that are wheelchair accessible and the line runs to St. Lazare, which is only a couple of blocks from the big department stores and is also accessible, will give us a chance to try the Metro. I know you said you wanted to."

"Sounds good to me. Sucks that it's so inaccessible in general, 'cause it covers so much of the city and it's cheap. At least most of the buses are accessible, but the traffic here seems to be bad, so I bet the Metro is way more efficient."

"I totally agree, I love the Metro, but since most of the stations are so old I guess making them accessible is a challenge."

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

They spent their week exploring Paris, including shopping on Champs Elysees, ascending the second level of the Eiffel Tower and visited the Versailles palace and the gardens surrounding it. On their fifth day they took a taxi up to the Sacre Coeur to enjoy the view of the city. The steep hills and cobblestoned streets in the area made it hard to negotiate by wheelchair and even though Auggie was very fit he realized that going there by cab was the most reasonable option.

"It's a great view, isn't it?" Annie asked as she gave Auggie's t-shirt clad shoulder a squeeze.

"Oh, absolutely. The Eiffel Tower was great, but this is even better."

They enjoyed the view for a few minutes before they got back into the cab and headed back to the city center. They spent the rest of the day at the Louvre and had dinner at a restaurant a couple of blocks from the hotel in the evening.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Their last evening in Paris they took a taxi to view the illuminated Eiffel Tower from the Palais de Jalliot. Auggie insisted they stayed a little away from the crowds and after watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle for a couple minutes he tugged on Annie's hand and she turned toward him.

"Um…this is where I'm supposed to kneel, but since that's impossible I guess me sitting and you standing will have to work," he said as he pulled a small box covered in teal velvet from his pocket. Annie's mouth fell open as Auggie opened it, revealing a large diamond on a silver band. She didn't manage to get a word out.

"Annie, I love you. When you came into my life last year I had spent three years as a hermit in my house. I didn't have a social life and my relationship to my family was virtually non-existent. You have changed all that; you have pushed me to live again. For the first time since my accident I feel like I'm living, not just existing, I want you in my life forever. Will you marry me?"

"Oh Auggie! Yes I'll marry you," Annie said as she sat down on his lap and kissed him passionately. A few moments later they pulled apart and Auggie placed the ring on Annie's finger. It was a perfect fit.

"This is beautiful. How long have you planned this?" she asked with a warm smile as she admired the ring.

"I've been thinking about proposing for a while and I planned on doing it on the anniversary of the day we met, but when we decided to go here I figured proposing in the world's most romantic city would be perfect. Maybe kinda' cheesy though," Auggie said, ducking his head with embarrassment.

"Oh, it wasn't cheesy at all, it was perfect! I love you Auggie." Annie placed another kiss on Auggie's lips and hugged him warmly. "This is the best possible end of our trip."

* * *

36 hours later they were back in Tysons Corner. They were sitting on the couch; Annie was curled up next to Auggie, who had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. He dug his phone out of his pocket with his free hand.

"Ready to tell my parents the news?" he asked with a smile. It was clear that he was eager to let his family know about their engagement.

"Sure."

Auggie dialed the number and placed the call on speaker. After a couple of rings Carol Anderson answered the phone.

"Hi Mom, how are you?"

"I'm good. How was Paris?"

"Fantastic. Listen, do you have Dad there?"

"He's in his office. Why?"

"Annie and I have some news and we'd like to share them with both of you. Get him to pick up the extension in there, please?"

A few moments later there was a click on the line and John greeted both of them.

"So what are these news you have to share?"

"I proposed to Annie in Paris and she accepted. We're engaged."

"That's amazing. Congratulations! Any plans for the wedding yet?"

Annie laughed. "We've been engaged for about 36 hours, so we haven't had time to think about it. I haven't even told my family yet. They're next on our list of people to call. We wanted you to be the first to know."

"I count on Mom to spread the word to the rest of the family," Auggie cut in.

"I'll be happy to," Carolyn answered.

"Thanks. We'd better call Annie's folks. Talk to you soon and we'll see you in a few weeks."

"Looking forward to it. Congratulations again. We're so happy for you."

They said their goodbyes, ended the call and dialed Annie's parent's number. Just as Auggie's parents they were very happy for them. Auggie sighed with relief when he ended the call.

"Something wrong?" Annie asked.

"Just relieved that your parents doesn't seem to have any reservations about you marrying me."

"Auggie, please stop thinking like that. My parents really like you and they don't care about your disability. I think it means more to you than to most of the people around you."

"You might have a point," Auggie sighed. "I'll work on it, I promise."

"That's my man," Annie said as she placed a kiss on Auggie's cheek. "I'm ready to go to bed. I know it's only 8 pm, but I'm still on Paris-time and I'm tired from travelling."

"So am I. I'm glad it's Friday. Hopefully I'll be less jetlagged by Monday," Auggie said with a yawn as he transferred back to his wheelchair. Annie stood up and stretched before she gathered their glasses and plates from the coffee table. She made a quick detour to the kitchen to put it in the dishwasher before she followed Auggie into the bedroom. Half an hour later they were both fast asleep.

* * *

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	13. Chapter 13

**Once again; thank you SO much for the warm reception of the previous chapter. Reviews, follows and favorites are all appreciated. :o)****  
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**Thank you to Culfie and Gwynne G for your ideas. They have both been included in the story! :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. Not Annie, nor Auggie or Covert Affairs... *sigh***

* * *

**-Chapter 13-**

"Auggie, are you ready?" Stu said as he peaked into Auggie's office.

"Yep, I think I've got it covered," Auggie said as he closed his laptop and removed it from the docking station on his desk. He placed that and a stack of four folders in his lap and followed Stu down the hall toward one of the conference rooms. When they entered the conference room Barber was already there, along with a man Auggie assumed was Michael Wilkins, a recently hired software engineer. This was his first major project at Murphy and Arthur Campbell wanted him to do a couple of projects under the supervision of one of the more seasoned engineers before he was allowed to run his own projects. He was a few years older than Auggie, he assumed he was in his mid to late thirties, and Auggie immediately felt uneasy around him. Auggie placed the laptop and folders at the end of the table and went over to introduce himself to Michael.

"Michael Wilkins?" he said with an outstretched hand.

Michael nodded and shook Auggie's hand weakly.

"Auggie Anderson. Senior software engineer; I'll be running this project. Nice to meet you."

"I can't believe this," Michael muttered.

"What's that?"

"I thought I was hired here because of my experience, but I get degraded to work under a project manager that's several years younger than me and a cripple."

"Excuse me?" Anger was starting to rise in Auggie and he had to work really hard to restrain himself. Stu and Eric exchanged an uneasy look. They didn't like where this was going and they disliked Wilkins' attitude toward Auggie. Both respected Auggie as a boss and over the months they'd worked together they had become friends as well.

"I might be a few years younger than you, but I've got a masters degree from MIT, I graduated top of my class and was recruited by Murphy straight out of college. Aside from the six months I spent in a hospital and rehab after a skiing accident four and a half years ago I've worked here for five years. It's normal practice here that new engineers and developers do their first couple projects as part of a team, to learn how we work here. You'll run your own projects soon enough." Auggie paused for a seconds to gather his thoughts. "I don't appreciate being referred to as a cripple. Aside from not being able to walk there's nothing wrong with me. I don't need working legs to be one of the best software engineers in the business. You either adjust your attitude toward me, and my guess is other disabled people for that matter, lightening fast and we get through this project in a civil manner, or I suggest we call Mr. Campbell and ask for you to be reassigned. I seriously doubt he'll be happy about the reason for your reassignment. Which is it?" Auggie straightened his spine and did his best to look imposing. Wilkins seemed a bit deflated and mumbled an apology. It didn't sound like he meant it, but Auggie was pleased that he seemed to have gotten the message, at least for the time being. Wilkins obviously hand't expected Auggie to stand up to him like he did. Auggie picked up the files and passed them out before he hooked his laptop up with the projector in the conference room and started to go through the project description. The mood was tense as the four men worked together and Auggie was relieved when he could call it a day at 5:30 in the afternoon.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Annie, I'm home," he called as he entered the house an hour later and dropped his keys off at the table in the foyer.

"In here," Annie called from the office; she sounded a bit distracted. The lease on her office had expired while she was recovering from her injury and she had worked from home since she had started working again in the middle of May. "I'll be right out, I just have to finish this translation first," she said as Auggie entered the room. He rounded the desk and pulled her in for a brief hug and a kiss.

"Any preferences for dinner? I can get started on that while you finish your work."

"I haven't really thought about it. I've been swamped today. Got two urgent translation assignments in my inbox this morning, I've barely left the office today."

"I'll see what I can come up with then," Auggie said as he headed out of the room.

"You're too good to me," Annie yelled after him before she turned her attention back to her computer.

Half an hour later Auggie called out that dinner was ready. She had just finished the final translation and sent it off to her employer and turned off her laptop before she headed into the kitchen.

"You made Chicken Alfredo?" Annie said with a smile as she sat down.

"Yep, it's been a while since the last time we had it and it was one of the few things we had all the ingredients for. I didn't feel like going down to the grocery store," he said with a shrug as he started eating. Annie noticed that he looked tense, like something was bothering him.

"Something wrong? How did the start of the new project go?"

"This new guy that's working with us is a complete asshole, so I'm not too excited about it," Auggie sighed.

"What happened?" Annie queried.

"He's a few years older than me and told me straight away that he dislikes having to work under a cripple that's younger than him."

"He didn't actually use the word cripple?" Annie asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"He did. I gave him the choice of adjusting his attitude or going with me to Arthur's office and ask for a reassignment. He halfheartedly apologized and we got through the rest of the day without any more episodes. I'm not looking forward to the rest of this project."

"I'm sorry to hear that Auggie. Maybe you should take it up with Arthur Campbell? I'm sure he won't be pleased with that kind of attitude."

"I want to give him a chance. It's not like I haven't run in to similar situations earlier, it's why I opted to work from home for so long, so I wouldn't have to deal with people like him. I actually feel like proving him wrong, show him that I'm just as capable of doing my job as he is of doing his, and that I'm not a helpless cripple in a wheelchair."

"I'm sure you'll blow him away within a few days," Annie said as she gave his hand a squeeze. "I like your attitude change. A year ago you would've run to Arthur's office and begged to work from home again."

Auggie was silent for a few moments. He realized Annie was right.

"You're right. For the record; you have a lot to do with that change in attitude. You've really helped me regain my confidence and drive, and to realize that I shouldn't worry so much about what people think about me."

"Well, you needed someone to kick you in the ass and I figured I'd take responsibility," Annie said with a laugh as she finished her dinner.

* * *

A couple weeks later Auggie was swamped at work. The new project was even more demanding than he'd anticipated and working with Michael Wilkins was still a challenge. He didn't attempt to hide his contempt for Auggie being his supervisor. Auggie usually left the house around seven in the morning and he was rarely home until seven or eight in the evening. By working long hours on weekdays he avoided having to go into the office over the weekends and he got to spend those with Annie. She had been busy lately as well, both with writing jobs and a few translations

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

A Friday afternoon in the middle of August Auggie was running late as he left the office. Annie had been in Europe on assignment for Vagabond for the past week and she was due home that evening. He had planned a special evening for them, but a meeting with a client had taken twice the scheduled time and instead of leaving at 4:30 as planned it was closer to 5:30 when Auggie finally pulled out of the parking garage. At least traffic had died down a bit, so he made good time on the drive out to Tysons Corner.

Auggie pulled into his garage and before he turned off the ignition he checked the time. He still had about an hour 'till Annie would be there, so he had time to pull off most of his plan. He quickly reassembled his wheelchair and got ready to transfer to it. Just as he put his left hand on the edge of the seat and put his weight on it he realized something was wrong. It was too late when Auggie realized hadn't locked the left wheel properly and he crashed to the floor. His left wrist took most of the fall.

"Fuck!" he cursed as he sat up. Auggie had a bad feeling about his wrist, it hurt like hell and when he tried to move it he almost screamed with pain, tears formed in his eyes. He tried to put the wheelchair together, but he quickly realized that with one working hand he wouldn't be able to get into it without assistance. He hadn't felt as helpless since his early days in rehab. A wave of embarrassment washed over him as he realized that Annie would find him like that when she got home. For a second Auggie considered calling 911, but he quickly dropped the idea. It was probably just a bad sprain, so he'd wait for Annie. He managed to scoot back so he was leaning against his car.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

After what felt like an eternity the garage door finally opened and Annie pulled her red VW Golf into the space next to Auggie's BMW. She hurried around his car.

"Oh my God, what happened?" she asked as she squatted down next to Auggie. The pain he was feeling was evident on his face.

"I was rushing and I didn't pay attention when I put the chair together. I didn't lock the left wheel properly in place so it fell off when I tried to transfer from the car and I ended up on the floor. I think I messed up my wrist badly. It hurts like hell." Auggie winced visibly and audibly as Annie grasped his arm gently and examined his wrist.

"I'm taking you to the ER," Annie said as she put his wheelchair together and made sure both wheels were locked securely in place. With a bit of struggling she managed to help Auggie into it and pushed him to the left rear side of her car. With the help of Annie and his good hand he managed to settle into the back seat. Annie put the wheelchair in the trunk before she settled into the drivers seat and headed to the closest hospital.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Almost six hours later they returned to the house. To Auggie's relief nothing was broken, but his wrist was badly sprained and it would take a few weeks before would have full use of it. For now it was wrapped in an Ace bandage and he'd been told to use it as little as possible for the next few days. He had also twisted his arm, so his elbow and shoulder hurt a bit too. According to the doctor it was just a case of pulled muscles and some bruising.

"I really am a cripple," he sighed as Annie helped him get out of the car and back into his wheelchair. "I can't even get out of the car without help."

"You're not a cripple Auggie. There's nothing wrong with needing help from time to time," Annie said firmly. Auggie sighed heavily and winced as he started to push himself toward the ramp up to the door.

"Auggie stop! Hold this in your lap and I'll push you. I don't want you to hurt yourself more," Annie said as she placed her tote bag and the bag from the pharmacy with Auggie's painkillers in his lap before she grabbed his shoulders and pushed him toward the ramp.

* * *

**Please let me know what you think in a ****review.**

**I'm already working on the next chapter and it should be posted sometime this weekend.**


	14. Chapter 14

**As usual I appreciate each and every review, follow and favorite. :o)**

**I'm so sorry my muse is so unwilling to play with my other stories. I really try to kick her back into gear, but she's not very cooperative. If anyone has ideas for any of my stories please please please let me know in a review on the story or via PM. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie and Auggie. I just love playing with them.**

* * *

**-Chapter 14-**

"Sheesh Annie, I'm not a child. I'm capable of dressing myself. I just need a little extra time because of my arm," Auggie said with an exasperated sigh as Annie started to pull up his jeans Saturday morning. He hated being so helpless.

"I know you are, but there's nothing wrong with accepting help when you need it and right now you do."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that you get to see the downside of being with a cripple like be before you marry me."

"What? Don't say stuff like that Auggie. I'm not going to change my mind about marrying you because you sprained your wrist and need me to help you out a bit for a few days. You're not a cripple. I don't want to hear you use that word to describe yourself again, got it?" Annie said firmly as she buttoned his jeans and handed him a navy polo shirt. He winced as he pulled it on, his left arm and shoulder was sore and achy. "Ready to move to the chair?"

"Yeah," he said flatly. Despite Annie's words he felt bad about being so helpless and in need of constant assistance. One of the things he had promised himself early in rehab was that he wouldn't depend on anyone. Now he felt like he was thrown back to the early days after his accident and he hated being a burden on Annie. She helped him settle into his wheelchair and before he could do anything she put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him to the kitchen.

* * *

"Listen to me Auggie," Annie said as they were eating dinner Sunday evening. Auggie had been resisting Annie's assistance all weekend, constantly making self-deprecating comments and referring to himself as a cripple. It was getting on her nerves.

Auggie sighed. "What?"

"Can you please stop with the self-deprecating comments and resisting my help? I just don't get why you're acting this way."

Auggie sighed and hung his head. "I hate being a burden."

"Why do you think you're a burden? I'm really getting sick and tired of this discussion. I feel like we've been going around in circles since we got back from the ER on Friday."

"I don't _think_ I'm a burden. I_ know_ I'm a burden. I mean…with just one working arm I can barely move around on my own. You know how much I depend on you right now and I hate it. I haven't been this dependent on anyone since the early days after my accident."

"I completely understand that, but it would be a lot easier for both of us if you stop fighting me. You'll be independent again in no time, but until then just let me be there for you, please?"

Auggie sighed heavily. "I'll do my best. It's just…you're my fiancée, not my caretaker and it just feels wrong that you have to help me with so many things all the time."

"You were there for me when I injured my ankle, now it's my turn to return the favor. It's as simple as that. And I don't want to hear the word cripple again, got it?"

"Got it," Auggie said, sounding at least a bit contrite. He picked up his fork and started eating again and they finished the meal in slilence.

* * *

Late Sunday evening they were both sitting in bed, Annie was checking her email on her iPad and Auggie was reading a book. When he finished a chapter he put the bookmark in and placed the book on his nightstand. He sighed heavily as he lay down and adjusted his pillows.

"What?"

"I just realized that this will confirm to Wilkins that I'm a cripple, won't it? I'm sure he'll love this." Auggie said, holding up his bandaged arm.

"What? That jerk still hasn't changed his attitude toward you? I thought you set him straight the first day?" Annie shut down her iPad and placed it on the nightstand before she lay on her side to face Auggie.

"Well, I did, but I can still sense his resentment and he makes these comments under his breath from time to time. I try to ignore it, but it's not always easy." Auggie was staring at the ceiling, his hurt and anger was evident.

"I really think you should report him to Arthur Campbell. You've given him two weeks to change his attitude and it obviously hasn't helped. They guy is a jackass and a bully and he doesn't deserve any more chances if you ask me. You shouldn't have to take his shit."

Auggie nodded and sighed before he spoke. "You're right. Both Stu and Barber have told me I should report him as well, so I'll do it first thing tomorrow. Oh, shit…how am I going to get to work?"

"I'll drive you. I have a meeting with Judith at Vagabond tomorrow anyway. We're going through the final edit of the Paris piece."

"Great. Thanks Annie. When will the Paris piece be published?" Auggie changed the subject. He didn't feel like discussing Michael Wilkins any further, he'd leave it up to Arthur to deal with him.

"If everything goes to plan it should be in the October issue of Vagabond."

"Cool. If there's a print of the final layout I'd love to see it."

"I'll see what I can do, okay?" Annie said as she leaned over and kissed Auggie on the lips. "Now lets get some sleep. We have to leave here by 7:30 in the morning, right?"

"Yeah, 7:30 is the latest we can leave on a Monday morning, for some reason the traffic is always worst on Mondays. G'night. I love you."

"Night. Love you too," Annie mumbled. She was already half asleep and within a few minutes Auggie drifted off to sleep as well.

* * *

Monday morning Auggie went straight to Arthur Campbell's office when he got to work.

"Good morning Auggie. How may I help you this morning?" Arthur's secretary, Cynthia, greeted him with a smile.

"Morning Cynthia. I was wondering if I could have a word with Arhur? Is he available?"

"His schedule is clear 'till 9:30. I'll check if he has time to see you or if he's busy with something. Just hang on for a sec, okay?" Cynthia walked over to the double doors leading into Arthur's office and knocked before she opened one door slightly and peaked inside. "Auggie Anderson is here. He wants to have a word with you."

Arthur gave his consent and Cynthia opened the door and gestured for Auggie to enter.

"Good morning Auggie," Arthur greeted him as he removed his reading glasses and set them down on top of the file he was reading.

"Good morning Arthur. Thanks for seeing me," Auggie greeted him as he settled in across form his boss and secured the brakes on his wheelchair.

"What can I do for you this morning?"

"It's about Michael Wilkins. Ever since we started working together he's been rude and offensive toward me, I wanted to give him a chance, but he's not changing his attitude."

"Could you be more specific? Tell me exactly what's happened."

"When we first met his initial reaction was that he felt demoted because he would have to work under me; I'm both younger than him and a cripple. He actually used the word cripple. You can ask Stuart Heatherton or Eric Barber. They were both present."

Arthur nodded. "Why didn't you come to me right then?"

"I tried my best to set him straight, told him he needed to adjust his attitude toward me. He half-heartedly apologized. I figured I'd give him a chance. He still makes small, snarky comments about my disability and my age from time to time. Stu and Barber have been encouraging me to report him for the past few days and over the weekend Annie made me realize that I should do it. I'm done with taking his crap."

"I see. I have no reason to doubt you're telling the truth, but these are serious allegations and I need to get all sides of the story on the table. I hope you understand that?"

"I understand," Auggie said with a nod. "I really hoped to avoid taking this step, but we've gotten to a point where I just can't accept his behavior."

Arhtur nodded and pushed the intercom button on his phone. "Cynthia, can you get me Eric Barber or Stu Heatherton on the phone and have them both come down here right away? They share an office up on the 13th floor."

While they waited for Stu and Barber to arrive Arhur noticed Auggie's bandaged wrist.

"What happened to your hand Auggie?"

"Oh, just little accident when I was getting out of my car Friday afternoon. It's a rather nasty sprain. I've also pulled some muscles in my arm and shoulder. I guess it's my version of having a limp," he said with a small laugh and a shrug. He didn't want to make a big deal about his injury.

"Are you still able to get around okay?"

"Yeah, on flat, even surfaces it's fine, it just hurts a little. Annie's been making sure I don't strain it all weekend and when I'm here I'm mostly behind my desk. The doctor said I should be back to normal within a couple of weeks."

Further discussion was cut off by the arrival of Stu and Barber. They both looked nervous when they stepped into the office, but they seemed to relax a little when they saw Auggie.

"You don't have anything to worry about," Arthur said. "Please take a seat."

They settled into the chairs by Arthur's desk and he carried on.

"Auggie tells me Michael Wilkins is giving him a hard time?"

"That's the understatement of the century," Barber blurted out before he could stop himself.

"Okay, care to elaborate?" Arthur asked.

Barber and then Stu confirmed Auggie's story and Arthur said he'd talk to Wilkins as soon as possible.

20 minutes later they all left Arthur's office and headed down the hall toward their offices.

"Are you okay Auggie? What's up with you hand dude?" Barber asked, he'd noticed the bandage in Arthur's office.

"Just a badly sprained wrist. The price I pay for not paying attention when I put my wheelchair together Friday afternoon. Annie's been playing nurse all weekend, making sure I didn't use it more than absolutely necessary," Auggie said with a shrug.

"Let us know if there's anything we can help you with, okay?" Stu offered as they reached their offices. "You know where to find us."

"Thanks guys. You know I appreciate it," Auggie said as he turned and entered his office. He was glad he had them on his side.

* * *

A couple of days later Auggie was getting ready to leave the office when a knock on the doorjamb caught his attention. He turned toward the door to see Michael Wilkins standing there with a contrite look on his face.

"Yes?" he said cooly.

"Do you have a minute Auggie?"

"Only if you make it quick. I was just about to head out."

"I owe you an apology. A real one. Not a half ass one like I gave you a few weeks ago. There's no excuse for how I've behaved toward you. You're a smart and competent guy and your disability doesn't affect your ability to do your job."

"I guess Arthur made you see the light?" Auggie asked, he wasn't sure he was ready to let Wilkins off the hook just yet.

"Actually it was more running into an old college buddy of mine yesterday. I had no idea he'd been blinded in the line of duty, bud despite losing his sight he's a senior partner at one of the big law firms in town. That encounter made me think and then Mr. Campbell called me into his office this afternoon… Mr. Campbell said that he'd leave it up to you to decide if I stay on the project or not. If you want me to be reassigned all you have to do is tell him tomorrow morning. Well… I guess I won't take up more of your time. See you tomorrow."

He turned and walked out of the office with his shoulders slumped. Auggie finished powering down his computer and headed out of the office. He wasn't quite sure to make of Wilkins' apology. He seemed sincere enough, but at the same time Auggie had a hard time believing that he'd changed his attitude completely so fast. He decided he needed some advice from Annie before he decided what to do about it.

* * *

**What should Auggie do about Michael Wilkins? Do you think he's sincere?**

**I'm also playing with wedding ideas, but I'm struggling with it. I've never been to a wedding myself and I'm very unsure about what I should do with A&A's wedding. A big party/church wedding? Elope to Vegas? Get married at the American Embassy in Paris?**

**I would love to hear your thoughts, both on the chapter and if you have ideas to share with me. :o)**


	15. Chapter 15

**SOOOO sorry for taking so long to post this. Runaway muse and busy weeks at ****work... **

**Thanks for the reviews, follows, favorites and ideas you've given me. I've got a pretty good idea of what I want to do with the next few chapters now. **

**So; Chris Gorham did a mighty good job directing, right? I sure hope they let him direct more in season 4. :o)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs. Just my own storyline and characters.**

* * *

**-Chapter 15-**

"Wilkins apologized right before I left the office this afternoon," Auggie told Annie as they cleaned up the kitchen after dinner that evening. "This time he seemed a lot more sincere."

"How so?" Annie queried. From what Auggie had told her about him and his previous behavior she was far from convinced that he'd changed so quickly.

"He told me he'd run into an old buddy of his that despite being blinded in the line of duty was a senior partner at a big law firm and it had opened his eyes. I also think Arthur gave him a lecture. I have to let Arthur know if I'll keep him on the project or not tomorrow morning. I'm not sure what to do. I have a hard time believing that he's completely changed his attitude in a matter of days, just because he ran into an old friend."

"I agree, but it might have opened his eyes you know? Maybe he's actually started to rethink things and see things differently. Is he good at his job?" Annie asked while loading the dishwasher. Auggie grabbed a washcloth and started wiping the counters.

"He has done great work, replacing him now would be a major setback and we're on a tight deadline with this project to begin with. That's part of why I'm considering giving him a second chance," Auggie said as he finished wiping off the counters. He rinsed and wrung out the washcloth before he hung it to dry over the faucet and turned towards Annie who was leaning against the kitchen island next to him.

"I think you should give him a second chance," Annie said. "Just make sure to make it clear that this is his final chance and if he starts with the attitude again he's off the project for good."

Auggie nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. I'll have a chat with Arthur in the morning and then have a chat Wilkins. Anyway, enough work talk. I have something else I want to discuss with you."

"What?" Annie's curiosity was piqued.

"Our wedding. Let me get changed into something more comfortable and we'll talk, okay?" He was still wearing the dress slacks, shirt and vest he'd worn to work.

"Okay, you do that and I'll finish up here."

"Thanks love," Auggie said with a smile as he turned and headed toward their bedroom.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

Fifteen minutes later Auggie had changed to a pair of lightweight sweatpants and a soft, worn t-shirt and was comfortable in his soft leather armchair with his feet propped up on the ottoman in front of it and Annie was curled up on the couch across from him.

"Well, the thing is that Mom's been nagging me about what we're doing for the wedding ever since I told her we're engaged and I'm afraid that if we don't throw her a bone soon she'll start planning a big bash for us at the country club in Glencoe." Auggie was smiling, but Annie could sense that he was serious.

"I'm getting similar vibes from Danielle. She's driving me crazy with wedding stuff. I've lost count of the various emails she's been sending me with tips on everything from venues to gowns. It's a bit overwhelming." Annie sighed and slumped back against the soft couch cushions.

"I know. I have to admit that eloping to Vegas or simply going down to the courthouse and just get it over with has crossed my mind," Auggie said with a small laugh.

"Not the worst idea you've had Mr. Anderson, but I want my family to be there when I get married and I think your family would be really hurt if we don't include them in our wedding, right?"

"You're right. I'm finally back in a good place with my family and I don't want to screw that up by not including them in our wedding. I really don't feel like a big wedding though," Auggie said. "But if that's what you want I'll go along with it."

"Even if eloping sounds sort of tempting it doesn't feel right. I want to share that day with our families and maybe a few close friends."

Auggie paused to gather his thoughts for a few moments before he carried on. "How about getting married here? It's just something that crossed my mind the other day. We could hire a big tent and do it in the garden. If the weather is nice we can remove the walls and make it into a giant gazebo. What do you think?"

"That's a fantastic idea Auggie! The garden is plenty big enough and we wouldn't have to worry about accessibility either. What about setting the date for the last Saturday in June next year? The garden should be in full bloom then, right?"

"Let's do that. Why don't we go shopping for save the date cards this weekend? That should get my mother and your sister to back off a bit, right?" Auggie asked Annie with a small smile.

"You read my mind! You know, I'm actually kind of relieved that we've got a plan. Well, we still have plenty of details to sort out, but at least we have a date and an idea what we want our wedding to be like."

* * *

A couple of day's later things were going much better at work for Auggie. Wilkins still seemed somewhat stiff around him, but Auggie had decided that he could live with that. At least he'd stopped with the rude and offensive comments. After his conversation with Annie he'd decided to give him one last chance, something he'd made perfectly clear to Wilkins the following day. He had agreed and apologized again for his behavior.

Auggie deeply focused on a piece of programming when a growl from his stomach reminded him that it was lunchtime. He'd overslept that morning and had skipped breakfast in his rush to leave the house. It was after noon and he realized he was starving and a slight headache was pounding in his head. With a sigh he grabbed his wallet from the top drawer of his desk and left his office and headed for the food court.

# # # # # # # # #

Ten minutes later he was struggling to balance a tray in his lap and push himself forward, with his injured wrist it was more of a challenge than it normally was.

"Need a hand?" Wilkins' voice came from behind. Auggie cringed; he was the last person he wanted help from, but at the same time he was starving. He swallowed his pride and looked up at Wilkins, who was looking insecure. Auggie realized he was probably afraid to offend him.

"If you don't mind I'd appreciate it. This makes things kind of a challenge," he said with a small smile as he held up his injured arm.

"No problem," Wilkins said as he grabbed the tray off Auggie's lap and a few minutes later they had worked their way down the buffet and were seated at a table together. They were focused on their meals for a few minutes before Wilkins broke the awkward silence.

"So, you've worked for Murphy since college?" he asked.

"Yeah. They recruited me. I actually had several job offers, but I landed on Murphy. I haven't regretted it for a second. They're a great employer," Auggie said sincerely. "I had barely worked here for a year when my accident happened, I was still a junior developer and I figured they'd offer me a severance package and let me go. It's not like they've got a shortage of potential employees. Instead they were incredibly supportive and made it clear that I had a job waiting when I was done with rehab. I should just focus on getting back on my feet, so-to-speak." Auggie was truly grateful for the way Murphy had supported him in those hard few months after the accident.

"I heard someone mention that you just recently started working from the offices, that you used to work from home?"

"When I started I worked from the office, but after my accident Arthur allowed me to work from home for a while. It was supposed to be temporary, while I waited for my adapted car to be delivered, but the months turned into almost three years. I came back to the office in January; apart from the commute I like being back. Working from home got kind of lonely." Auggie let his guard down a little bit. Wilkins seemed to be genuinely interested and he figured that if he was giving him a chance he should try to get to know him a little bit better. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Wilkins spoke again.

"You mentioned a skiing accident. Is that how you…um…ended up in a wheelchair?"

"Yeah. Off-piste skiing in unfamiliar terrain isn't the best idea I've ever had," Auggie said with a shrug. "I wasn't thrilled about the idea, but my brothers were all excited and managed to convince me to go with them. I had a blast 'till I hit a damn boulder that was hidden in the snow."

"It can be risky. But the adrenaline rush and skiing in powder is great," Wilkins said.

"You're into skiing?" Auggie asked. It hadn't crossed his mind that they might have some similar interests. Not that Auggie had been skiing since his accident, but he still liked to follow winter sports and watched his fair share of downhill skiing on ESPN during the winter months.

"I grew up in Aspen, I've been skiing my entire life. My family owns a big lodge resorts there. I'm kinda the black sheep of the family; I don't think Dad will ever get over the fact that I opted to study computer sciences instead of hospitality or business and declined the offer to enter the family business."

"Really? You're from Aspen? My family meets there the 1st weekend in February every year. It's sort of an Anderson family tradition, has been for as long as I can remember. We always stay at Big Bear."

Wilkins mouth dropped open. "Really? That's my family's resort. Wait, you're one of the Anderson's from Illinois?"

"You're kidding, right?" Auggie said with disbelief lacing his voice.

"No, I'm not. You know…I remember your accident. One of my cousins was on the ski patrol that helped get you off the mountain and down to where the chopper landed. You were skiing with two of your brothers, right?"

"Yeah, I was. Sheesh, talk about small world. I don't remember much from being taken off the mountain except that I was in lot of pain and freaking out because I couldn't feel my legs. My memories aren't really clear until a couple of days later and by that time the guys that got me off the mountain was the last thing on my mind. I can't say I remember your cousin. Sorry."

"I didn't expect you to. It's just crazy how small the world can be," Wilkins said with a chuckle. "I guess we should get back upstairs."

Auggie checked his watch. "You're right. We better get back to work."

Wilkins gathered their trays and brought them to the trolley by the kitchen door before he rejoined Auggie and they made their way to the elevator. They chatted about the upcoming skiing season and the winter Olympics that were coming up in February while they made their back upstairs. When he got back to his office Auggie felt relieved that he'd found some common ground between himself and Wilkins and he seemed to relax more around him.

* * *

"Thanks for helping me out so much these past few weeks," Auggie said to Anne over dinner a couple of weeks later. His wrist was healed and according to Michelle he could thank Annie for much of his quick recovery. "I'm glad I'm back to normal now. I hate being so dependent on everyone around me."

"You were there for me when I hurt my ankle, I'm fairly certain I was a much worse patient than you were. I didn't have to play cheerleader, although I did have a hard time making you realize you're not a cripple."

"Your injury was worse than mine. I didn't have to go through three surgeries and loads of grueling PT to recover like you did. You needed a cheerleader and I'm glad I was able to be that for you," Auggie said with a warm smile. "And I know I wasn't the best patient at times. I just got so frustrated with my loss of independence. For a while I felt like I was thrown back to the early days, right after the accident, when I needed help for everything. I was also afraid of losing you."

"Losing me?" Annie didn't understand what Auggie was getting at. She had no intentions of leaving him.

"Yeah. I was afraid that you'd realize you couldn't put up with someone that occasionally depends on you. I can't guarantee it won't happen again and when we get older…well, you know what I mean, right?" Auggie sighed.

"When it happens again I'll be happy to help you. I can't believe how lucky I am to be with you Auggie. I don't deserve you." Annie reached over and squeezed Auggei's forearm and he pulled out of her grasp and grabbed her hand instead.

"That feeling is mutual. It's still a bit surreal to me that we're together, that I'm actually engaged. Before you came into my life I'd accepted that I'd spend the rest of my life alone."

"I don't understand why you'd think like that. You're a very attractive man Auggie and I'm SO lucky that you want to be with me."

"Thanks love," Auggie said as he wiped the last tomato sauce from his plate with a piece of garlic bread. The endearment brought a smile to Annie's face, it was something Auggie had started with lately and she liked it. "We're both lucky."

* * *

**Okay, so fluffy ending to this chapter. Felt we needed some fluff after all the hard times A&A have had lately.**

**Up next: Christmas in Glencoe and Auggie gets back on the slopes.**

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think :o)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites on the previous chapter. :o)**

**The muse took a bit of a left turn with this chapter; inspired by the Operation Proper Exit storyline on the show and Auggie as a Battle Buddy. I hope you like the unexpected turn to A&A's Christmas visit in Glencoe. :o)**

**Only 2 episodes left of season 3... Looks like we're in for a couple of intense weeks. As long as A&A get to have 'the talk' by the end of the season I'll be happy. I have really enjoyed the more linear storytelling this season.**

**Am working on a new chapter for "The Volunteer". Decided to ditch the chapter I hit a roadblock in and start over again. Progress is slow, but there's progress. I hope to have something for you soon'ish. Thanks for your patience.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Covert Affairs, Annie or Auggie. Just my characters and storyline.**

* * *

**-Chapter 16-**

"So, are you ready for Christmas in Glencoe?" Auggie asked Annie as they packed their bags. They were catching a morning flight to Chicago the following day and spending the next two weeks at Auggie's parents house.

"I am. It'll be nice to see your family again and I'm excited about seeing where you grew up." Their planned trip to Glencoe that summer had fallen through because Auggie's parents had won a ten-day all inclusive Caribbean cruise and the timing had crashed with the dates Auggie had off work. His parents had spent a few days in their guestroom on their way back to Glencoe. Annie and Auggie had spent Thanksgiving with Annie's family so it would be the first time Annie got to see Glencoe.

"And I can't wait to show you the area. I hope you're prepared to help me out a bit while we're there by the way. The house isn't exactly wheelchair friendly and I don't know how much Mom and Dad have done to make it accessible. I'm not expecting a whole lot since I haven't been there at all after I was injured."

"We'll just have to see when we get there, won't we? And don't worry. If you need help you know you can just ask me."

"Thanks Annie, I hope I won't have to ask for too much help, but I just want you to be prepared."

"Don't worry about it Auggie. We'll just deal with it one thing at the time, okay?"

"Sounds good to me," Auggie said as he put the last stack of boxers and t-shirts into his bag and zipped it closed. "Ready for dinner?"

* * *

When Annie pulled their rented car into the drive of the Anderson's house in Glencoe the first thing that caught Auggie's eye was he ramp up to the front door. It was obviously not a temporary construction, it blended well with the house, and it appeared to have been there for a while, judging from the bushes that were planted along it. Before he had time to ponder more about it Annie opened the car door and placed his wheelchair next to him.

"Here you go. I'll get the bags out of the trunk," she said as she turned and walked to the back of the car while Auggie got settled into the wheelchair. He grabbed his messenger bag from the floor and placed it in his lap. Just as he slammed the car door shut his parents came out of the front door and hurried over to them. After a round of hugs and warm greetings they entered the house, Annie and John had taken care of their luggage and Auggie chatted with his mother as they headed into the house.

"I guess we're staying in the den?" Auggie asked as they entered the house. Since getting upstairs to his old room or the guest room was out of the question for him he figured they'd turned the den into a temporary guest room. It was either there or his father's office and he doubted John would give up his office, even if it was just for a couple of weeks.

"No, you're staying in your room of course," Carol said evenly.

"Huh? It's upstairs Mom. Getting up there is sort of a challenge for me you know."

"Follow me," John said with a secretive smile. Auggie followed his father a few feet down the hallway to what had been a storage closet when he grew up. His jaw dropped when John opened the door, revealing that the closet was now an elevator.

"What? You put in an elevator? Are you crazy? It must have cost a fortune!" Auggie exclaimed with shock lacing his voice.

"It wasn't cheap, but we can afford it and we figured we're not getting younger either. For now it's for your benefit, but in a few years time I'm fairly certain your mother and I will be glad we don't have to worry about the stairs."

"I…I don't know what to say," Auggie choked out. He had to swallow hard as a wave of emotion washed over him. "When did you do this?"

"We started the process of getting a permit while you were in rehab and the construction work was finished a few months later. Why don't you give it a try? We'll get the bags from the hall and meet you upstairs."

Auggie nodded and entered the elevator. A couple of minutes later he was heading down the upstairs hallway towards his room. He was struggling to keep his emotions in check; he hadn't expected to see the upper level of his childhood home again. He'd contemplated asking his brothers to carry him and his wheelchair upstairs sometime during the visit so he could clear out his room, but he wasn't sure that he could take that blow to his pride. The thought that his parents had gone through the great expense of having an elevator installed so he had independent access to the entire house was a bit overwhelming to him.

He entered his room and it was the same as it had been the last time he'd been there; the only change was what appeared to be a new set of sheets on the bed and the desk chair wasn't there anymore. He opened the door to his bathroom and once again his jaw dropped. It had been completely refurbished. A big shower with a seat replaced the tub; there were grab bars by the toilet and the vanity had been replaced with one that was open under so he could access the sink.

"What do you think?" his mother's voice pulled him back to reality. "Does it work for you?"

"It's perfect Mom. I don't know what to say…" His voice trailed off.

"Good. We had help from an occupational therapist when we designed it, to make sure everything was taken care of."

"I feel really bad that you've spent all these money though… I never expected you to spend tens of thousands of dollars to make the house accessible to me. I've made do in more inaccessible places than this, I just need a bit more help from time to time."

Carol squatted down so she was face to face with her youngest son and grabbed his hands. "Auggie, listen to me; this is your childhood home and we want you to be just as comfortable here as you are in your own house. We don't want you to have to ask for help all the time. You know we can afford it."

"I know Mom, but still…"

"I don't want to hear another word about this. As you were told downstairs your father and I aren't getting younger; in a few years time we'll probably appreciate both an accessible bathroom and the elevator. Okay?" His mother's no-nonsense tone left no room for arguing.

"Okay Mom. It really means a lot to me."

"I know it does son. And it means a lot to us that you're here,"

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Auggie, are you okay?" Annie asked Auggie as they were unpacking their bags a little while later. Auggie had been uncharacteristically quiet since they'd arrived.

"Fine. I'm just a little overwhelmed with how much money my parents have spent on making the house accessible for me. I know they can afford it, but still… I also feel guilty that I haven't come here sooner. They had this done while I was still in rehab…years ago."

"They love you Auggie. Let go of the past, as you and your mother have said before; what's said is said and what's done is done. You can't change it, but you can control the future."

Auggie was quiet for a few moments before moved over to where Annie was putting her underwear in a drawer. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down to sit on his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Soon they were kissing passionately and they didn't notice that the door opened.

"Ewww," Nate exclaimed as he entered the room. They pulled apart quickly and Annie got to her feet.

"Hey Nate, what's up?" Auggie greeted him with a smile. Nate ran over to him and gave him a hug. He also hugged Annie quickly.

"Grandma sent me to tell you lunch is ready and you need to get downstairs." He hesitated for a moment before he tentatively asked Auggie if he could ride in the elevator with him. He let out an excited squeal when Auggie picked him up and placed him on his lap.

"We'll meet you downstairs," Auggie said to Annie with a smile. Nate's childish enthusiasm and happiness to see him less emotional. He had been looking forward to going home for a while, especially after their planned visit that summer had fallen trough.

"Great. Enjoy the ride guys," Annie laughed as she headed down the stairs and Auggie and Nate headed down the hall to the elevator. Downstairs they were met with hugs from Mark and Jacklyn. A little later Josh and Meredith also arrived. They spent the meal catching up and chatting about the coming two weeks.

* * *

The following day Auggie insisted on showing Annie around in Glencoe.

"I'm glad I brought my Uggs," Annie said as they headed down Main Street for a café where Auggie wanted them to eat lunch. "Are you sure you're not freezing?"

"I'm fine. Long underwear helps," he said with a smile. "I grew up here, remember? I know how to dress. Besides, the café is just a couple of blocks ahead. We'll warm up before we head back to the house."

"Sounds great to me," Annie said as she reached over and gave Auggie's shoulder a squeeze. They walked in silence for a while until a familiar booming voice got Auggie's attention. "Auggie Anderson!"

Auggie stopped and turned toward the voice with a broad smile on his face. "Coach Carpenter! How are you?" Auggie said as he extended his hand to his high school wrestling coach.

"I'm good. How about you? I haven't seen you for years. I heard about your accident a few years ago and I've been wondering how you're getting along."

"I'm doing well, I live just outside DC now and it has been a while since I've been here. This is my fiancée, Annie, by the way."

"Nice to meet you Annie," Coach Carpenter said with a smile as he shook Annies hand.

"Nice to meet you too." Annie said with a smile.

"So, are you still working at New Trier?" Auggie asked.

"Yes, I'm the head of the athletic department now. You know, me I love my job."

Auggie smiled and nodded. Coach Carpenter had been one of his favorite teachers in high school, because of his dedication and enthusiasm. "Listen Auggie, how do you feel about attending an assembly tomorrow afternoon? You're one of the most winning athletes in New Trier's history and one of the few athletes that have been Valedictorian of their class. You are sort of a legend you know."

"I don't know Coach… " Auggie hesitated. He wasn't sure he was comfortable with being the center of attention.

"I also think meeting you would be a big inspiration to one of the seniors this year. He was one of our top athletes 'till he got injured in a diving accident this summer. He returned to school little over a month ago."

"A diving accident? What sort of injuries did he sustain?" Auggie's curiosity was piqued.

"Broke his back, he's a T-10 paraplegic. I think he's having a hard time accepting he'll spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He was actually top of his class and on the honor rolls last year, but this year he has been getting mediocre grades and according to his teachers he's not putting much of an effort into his schoolwork."

"Hmm… I'd be happy to meet him. When is the assembly?"

"It starts at noon tomorrow in the gymnasium. I know a few people from your class will be there. I think a couple of your brothers are coming too, I ran into James and Matt a few days ago. "

"See you tomorrow then, we'd better get going. It's cold and we were heading to Dave's for lunch. Nice seeing you Coach."

"Good to see you too Auggie. See you tomorrow." Coach Carpenter patted Auggie's shoulder. "If you still have your letterman jacket it would be great if you wore it by the way."

"I'll check with my mother. If it still exist she knows where it is. See you tomorrow."

* * *

"Auggie, this is Keith MacKenzie, Keith this is Auggie Anderson," Coach Carpenter said with a smile as he introduced Auggie to a pale, sullen looking young man in a wheelchair. The first thing Auggie had noticed when he'd seen Keith during the assembly was that his wheelchair seemed to be a cheep model that wasn't properly adjusted to him.

"Nice to meet you Keith," Auggie said as he offered his hand. Keith shook it weakly.

"Are you here to play cheerleader too?" Keith asked in a hostile tone. It was evident he wasn't very happy about Coach Carpenters initiative.

"Nope. I didn't want a cheerleader after my accident and I'm not going to try to be that for you or anyone else. I ran into Coach downtown yesterday and he told me about you; he thought it might be useful for you to meet someone that has lived with a similar injury as yours for a few years. I know I would've appreciated it in the early days after my accident, but if you don't want to talk with me I won't push you to."

Keith hung his head and didn't answer for a few moments. Just as Auggie was about to release the brakes on his wheelchair and bid him goodbye he spoke quietly.

"I do have a few questions, but I have class in ten minutes…"

"Well, here's my card," Auggie pulled a business card out of his wallet and handed it to Keith. "My cell number is on there. If you want to I'll take you out to dinner, so just the two of us can talk in private. I'm in town 'till January 4th. Check with your parents and call me as soon as possible so I can set some time aside."

A small smile came across Keith's face. "Thank you Mr. Anderson. I'll talk to my parents this afternoon and get back to you. I'd better get to class now. I've got to go all the way down to the computer lab."

They said goodbye and when Keith had left the room Coach Carpenter entered.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"At first he wasn't thrilled, but he seemed to realize that it might be useful to talk with me. I gave him my card and told him that I'll take him out to dinner so we can talk in private. He said he'd check with his folks and get back to me this afternoon."

"Good. I think it might be just what he needs to start moving forward again. I really appreciate you doing this Auggie."

"Don't worry about it. I noticed that his wheelchair seems to be badly adjusted. Do you know it's just a rental while he's waiting for his permanent one? I know some insurance companies can be painfully slow dealing with these issues."

"I think it's his permanent one; his parents are in a rough situation financially. His father lost his job a few months ago, so they're living off his mother's income. She's a teacher and I doubt that they can afford to pay for additional insurance coverage. The basic coverage we get isn't worth much."

Auggie nodded. He felt bad for Keith and his family and an idea was starting to form in his head; he wanted to pay for a good, properly adjusted wheelchair for him, but Auggie realized he needed to thread carefully. He'd start with taking him out to dinner and then he'd figure out his next move from there.

* * *

**So what do you think about Coach Carpenter and young Keith? **

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks again for the reviews, follows and favorites :o)**

**This chapter turned out longer than I originally intended, but the muse just wouldn't stop. **

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own Annie and Auggie, sure wish I did though...**

* * *

**-Chapter 17-**

"Did you have fun at the assembly?" Annie asked as they were getting ready for dinner. "I know you were a bit hesitant about it."

"I had a blast actually. Met a few of my old buddies and Matt and James were there too. It was fun. I'm glad I went there."

"That's great Auggie! Did you meet that kid your coach mentioned?"

"Yeah. We didn't really get to talk, 'cause he had to get to class. I hope to take him out to dinner or lunch sometime before we go back to DC. Coach told me a bit about his family background and I'd really like to help him. I'm just not sure how to do it."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Well, at the assembly I noticed that his wheelchair didn't seem to fit him at all. My initial thought was that it was a temporary one, while he was waiting for a permanent, adjusted one. Coach didn't think so. His parents are in a rough situation financially, they just have very basic medical insurance and they won't cover a good chair like mine."

"Well, how do you want to help him?"

"I'd really like to pay for a good, properly adjusted wheelchair for him, but I know I'll have to be careful about how I approach it though. His parents might not approve." Auggie sighed.

"Well, why don't you focus on meeting him and getting to know him a little bit first? Then meet his parents and try to figure out where to go from there?"

"You're right. And I'll ask my brothers if they know anything about his family. Now, lets get downstairs. Judging from the racket coming from there the whole family has arrived."

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Uncle Auggie!" Jennifer squealed with excitement as Annie and Auggie entered the family room where all of the Andersons were gathered. She ran over to him, sat down in his lap and hugged him warmly. Auggie reciprocated the warm embrace.

"Good to see you Jen," Auggie said with a smile as Jennifer stood up and turned to hug Annie. A few minutes later they had greeted the whole family and Carol ushered them into the dining room. As they were about to finish the main course Auggie cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Does anyone of you know the MacKenzie family?"

"Are you referring to the family of that kid that was injured in a diving accident this summer?" James asked.

"Yeah. I met Keith after the assembly at New Trier today. Coach mentioned that they were struggling, that his father had lost his job. Do you know them?"

"I don't know them personally, but Mrs. MacKenzie's sister is a secretary at work. I've heard a little bit about it through her. Mr. MacKenzie lost his job back in April and hasn't been able to secure anything permanent after that; just short term jobs here and there. Why do you ask?"

"The kid needs a good wheelchair. Right now he's in a piece of crap chair that doesn't fit him at all, but according to Coach that's all their insurance will cover. I was in a badly adjusted rental for a while in rehab before my chair was delivered and I can't begin to tell you how big of a difference there is between a good and a bad chair."

"Are you sure it's not a temporary one? That he's just waiting for his permanent chair to be delivered?" Mark queried.

"Pretty sure. Coach confirmed it and it's been more than six months since his accident; there's no reason there should be that long a wait to get a wheelchair delivered. The one I'm in now took two weeks to be delivered from I ordered it. The only explanation would be that the insurance company is taking incredibly long to process the claim." Auggie raked a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Ah, I see. I have a feeling you want to do something about that?"

"Yeah, I do. I don't know how to approach it though. His parents might not want to accept help from a stranger like that and I don't want to insult anyone. I'm meeting Keith for lunch or dinner sometime before we go back to DC so I guess I'll just have to see where that goes."

"Knowing you, you'll figure something out," Mark said with a smile.

"I hope so. I feel bad for this kid, I can relate to what he's going through. I was lucky that I had good insurance coverage that's allowed me to pay for the things I need and want. I can't imagine how hard it would have been if I'd had to fight with my insurance company for everything from going to rehab to getting a proper wheelchair. It was hard enough to get through that time without that."

"And because you've been through a very similar experience I'm sure you can find a way to relate to both him and his parents," Josh interjected. "I'm sure everyone around this table will be willing to pitch in if there's anything we can do, right?"

Everyone seemed to agree with that statement and after a little bit of discussing back and forth conversation moved on to other subjects.

* * *

On Christmas morning Nate stormed into Auggie's room and jumped into the bed where his uncle and his fiancée were sleeping. Annie was curled up next to Auggie, but let go of him and moved to 'her' side of the bed. She tried her best to ignore Nate.

"Uncle Auggie, Annie! Get up! It's Christmas."

Auggie groaned and checked the time. It was just before eight in the morning.

"You're right kiddo. We'll be down soon, okay?"

"Hurry! I want to open my presents!" Nate said impatiently as Auggie sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. Annie followed suit and quickly got up and headed into the bathroom just as Nate turned and left the room, closing the door firmly behind him.

"Crazy kid," Auggie said with a small laugh as he settled into his wheelchair and followed Annie into the bathroom.

"I bet you was just as bad when you were his age, right?" Annie teased.

"You'll have to ask my mother about that. I'd like to think I was a well-behaved kid," he replied with a smirk as he grabbed his toothbrush.

"Sheesh Auggie, you're incorrigible!" Annie said with a laugh. They finished brushing their teeth, splashed some water in their faces and headed downstairs to join the rest of the family.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

A couple of hours later the unwrapping frenzy had finally come to an end and the Anderson's were gathered around the dining room table for their traditional Christmas brunch. Carolyn looked over at Annie and Auggie with a warm smile on her face. Auggie felt his mother staring and looked up from his plate.

"What Mom?" he asked with a smile.

"I'm just so happy that I have all of my sons here for Christmas this year," she said with a warm smile. "It's been far too long. I'm also happy to see how happy you are Auggie, four and a half years ago I never thought I'd see that expression on your face again. And I'm happy we've got a new addition to the family in Annie."

"No need to get all sappy Mom. I thought we were done with that at Thanksgiving last year, at Aug's house," Matt teased. Carolyn sniffled and quickly wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'm sorry. I've just missed having all of my boys fill the house."

"With the one reservation I had about coming here eliminated I think both Annie and I will be more frequent visitors," Auggie stated firmly.

"What reservation?" Matt didn't get what Auggie was talking about.

"Accessibility. I had no idea about the work Mom and Dad have done to make the house accessible to me. I feel bad about the money they've spent on it, but the fact that I can be just as independent here as I can at my house in DC means a lot to me."

"Auggie! We don't want to hear one more word about the money," John said firmly. "That topic is closed. We have been over it already."

"Got it Dad," Auggie said with a smile. "Pass me the coffee?"

* * *

A couple of days after Christmas Auggie headed downtown to Glencoe to meet Keith for lunch.

"Thanks for taking the time to meet with me Mr. Anderson," Keith said shyly as they met. He was waiting outside Dave's café when Auggie came down the street.

"Please call me Auggie," Auggie said with a smile. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's head inside, okay?"

A few minutes later the hostess had taken care of their coats and they were settled in by a table in a small private dining room off the main café. Auggie had reserved it so they could have a private conversation.

"So…Coach told me your accident happened this summer?"

"Yep. It was a warm summer day and I recklessly jumped into the lake without checking the depth first. Turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life. Now I'm a damn cripple in a wheelchair," he said, hanging his head.

"Keith, look at me," Auggie said firmly. Keith slowly lifted his head and looked at Auggie with an insecure look on his face. "Is that what you see when you see me? Do you think I'm a cripple?"

"No I don't," he answered quickly. "Not at all Auggie."

"Really? Because if you're a cripple I'm a cripple."

"Um…" Keith was lost for words. He hung his head again and just as Auggie was about to speak the waitress arrived with their meals. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Auggie spoke again.

"Why do you see yourself as a cripple?"

"I dunno…I mean I was an athlete, one of New Trier's best. Now I'm stuck in a damn piece of crap wheelchair… It's not exactly how I'd planned my life ya know…" Keith's voice trailed off.

"Do you think I planned on ending up in a wheelchair? I was an athlete just as you when I set off down a powder covered mountainside with my brothers five years ago. Little did I know that it would change my life forever. It took me a while to realize that my life wasn't over, things just took a left turn. We're both lucky Keith. We're fit, healthy men, we just don't have working legs anymore."

"Huh? Is that how you see it? You think you're lucky?" Keith was dumbfounded by Auggie's statement.

"There are people that are much worse off than us Keith. We have full use of our arms and hands. Imagine being completely paralyzed from the neck down; unable to do anything for yourself, in constant need of assistance. Didn't you meet anyone with worse injuries than your own in rehab? I know meeting people that were worse off than me really changed my look on my situation."

Keith shook his head. "I didn't really go to rehab. I was in the hospital for a while, when I was discharged I was just sent home and Dad took me to my therapy and training sessions a few times a week."

"Oh, I see. That's different from my experience then, I spent a few months at a rehab facility."

"I wish my parent's insurance would've covered that," Keith said sadly. "I've got the basics down and I still see a physical therapist two times a week, but… I don't know… I'll just have to make the best of it I guess."

The return of the waitress bringing their desserts interrupted the conversation and when she'd left Auggie paused for a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Making the best of it is a good plan. How your life turns out is completely up to you. If you decide that you're a poor cripple in a wheelchair that's what you'll end up as. _You_ have a choice Keith, _you_. What are your favorite subjects in school?"

"Math, science and computer science."

"There you go. I'm a software engineer, I don't need working legs to be that, so being in a wheelchair doesn't stop me from being one of the best in my field."

"I haven't thought about it like that," he said thoughtfully. "I've only seen all the stuff I can't do. I miss being part of the basketball team and I know I'll miss baseball in the spring too…" His voice trailed off again and he hung his head.

"Even if you're not able to play you can still be involved. Go to the practices and games, stay in touch with the guys on the team. I turned myself into a hermit and alienated myself from my friends and family for a while after my accident. In retrospect it was a big mistake. I sure could've used their support; I just didn't realize it at the time. Is your family backing you up?"

"They're trying. Things are kinda rough at home these days. Dad lost his job not long before my accident and Mom's working two jobs to make ends meet. I used work part time at Subway, and now that income is gone too… I don't think I'll be able to get a part time job now."

"In today's job market it's hard to get a job and it's even harder for us with disabilities. That's why you should focus your attention on your schoolwork. Get good grades, get a scholarship and go to college. If you have a solid education as a foundation the job search will be easier. Have you got any college plans?"

"I've sort of written it off…" Keith shrugged and hung his head.

"Is that why you've slacked off academically?"Auggie asked. He didn't want to sugarcoat it.

"How'd ya know that?" Keith shrugged

"Coach mentioned it. He said you were top of your class, now you're getting mediocre grades."

"Yeah…"Keith didn't look at Auggie as he answered.

"Since athletic scholarships are out of the question you need to work even harder academically. Like it or not, a good education is even more important when you're disabled. Let me rephrase my question; if you could study whatever you wanted too, what would you study?"

"Computer science or engineering I think."

"Then get back on track with your schoolwork and start applying to colleges. You can still save your GPA you know. Any thoughts about which schools you'd prefer?"

"I've talked with recruiters from Georgetown, Virginia Tech and MIT. I haven't really got any clear preferences. Wherever I can get scholarships really."

They talked about school a little bit longer before a knock on the doorjamb interrupted them.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

A man in his 40es, bearing a strong resemblance with Keith, stood in the doorway. Auggie figured it was his father.

"Keith's father I presume. I'm Auggie Anderson. Pleased to meet you" Auggie offered the man his right hand and he grasped it and shook it firmly.

"Walter MacKenzie. Thanks for taking the time to meet with my boy; I'm hoping this might change his outlook on things." Mr. MacKenzie said as he sat down on the free chair across from Auggie and shrugged out of his coat. The waitress came in and Auggie ordered a round of coffee for all of them.

"Dad…" Keith said exasperatedly.

"No problem, " Auggie said with a smile. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"The only one that can change Keith's attitude and outlook is himself. I hope our conversation has given him something to think about."

"It has," Keith said quietly, clutching the mug of coffee the waitress had just delivered in his hands. "It has been a great help already."

"Glad to hear it son," Mr. MacKenzie said, giving his son's shoulder a squeeze.

"Keith, would you mind leaving the room for a minute? I'd like to have a word in private with your dad."

Keith looked a bit uneasy, but left the room and closed the door behind him.

Mr. MacKenzie sat down on the free chair across from Auggie and shrugged out of his coat. The waitress came in and Auggie ordered a round of coffee for all of them.

"What did you want to discuss with me?"

"I've got two proposals for you. First I'd like to pay for a properly adjusted, good wheelchair for your son. I understand you're in a tough situation financially and there's only so much your insurance company is willing to cover."

"I can't accept that," Mr. MacKenzie said firmly.

"I understand where you're coming from, but think about your son. He's struggling to adjust and adapt to being confined to a wheelchair. A properly adjusted lightweight chair like mine would make his life a lot easier. You don't have to answer now, but think about it and maybe discuss it with your wife, okay?"

Mr. MacKenzie nodded. "I'll think about it. What's the second proposal?"

"For that I'ld like to get Keith back in here. Just think about the wheelchair and get back to me," Auggie said as he handed Mr. MacKenzie his card.

"I will," Mr. MacKenzie put the card in his wallet and went over to the door and told his son to come back inside.

"I have a proposal for you Mr. MacKenzie," Auggie said.

"Please call me Walt, everyone else does."

"Okay Walt. Then I'm Auggie. Mr. Anderson makes me think of my Dad. Anyway; granted that Keith gets his GPA back to at least a 3.75 by mid-term of the spring semester I'd like to offer him an internship at Murphy Software in Washington DC this summer. He'd get paid an entry level salary and he'd learn a lot."

"Really Mr. And…err…Auggie?" Keith sputtered out, his eyes were wide with surprise and a broad smile graced his features.

"Yes. We always hire interns over the summer. You can stay at my house and I'll pay for your plane tickets back and forth."

"I…I…Thank you Auggie," Walter said, his voice thick with emotion. "I normally wouldn't accept an offer like this; it doesn't feel right to let someone else pay my son's way, but seeing the happiness on his face makes me realize this is an offer I can't refuse. I can just hope I'll be able to pay you back one day."

"Don't worry about it. I'm happy to help. As I said the offer is only valid if Keith get his grades up. At Murphy we only hire the best and there's plenty of people that want a summer internship with us. I have to be able to justify hiring Keith to my boss and co-workers. It's not a charity case," Auggie said firmly and turned to Keith with. "We'll expect exactly the same from you as we expect from any other intern, got it?"

"Got it," Keith said, nodding fervently. Auggie noticed a spark in his eyes that wasn't there before. They chatted for a few minutes before it was time to leave. They left the café and when they were out on the sidewalk they bid each other goodbye.

* * *

Little over a week later Auggie was back at work, wrapping up a report, when Wilkins appeared in the doorway.

"Hi Auggie, got a minute?" he asked.

"Sure, come on in and have a seat. Have a good Christmas?"

"As good as Christmas with the in-laws can be," he said with a chuckle as he sat down. "You?"

"Very good. Just as crazy as Christmas at my parent's house always is; all of my brothers and their families were there. It gets sort of insane at times. Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Wilkins hesitated for a bit before he spoke.

"I'm going to Aspen with my wife in two weeks and I was wondering if you and you fiancée would like to come. My mother's always nagging me about bringing friends and the conditions are great there now. Figured it would be a fun weekend on the slopes. You can stay at Big Bear for free of course."

"Wow, that's really generous of you, but the thing is…um…I haven't skied since my accident." Auggie sighed and raked a hand through his hair.

"Oh…I didn't know. I just assumed you're into sit skiing now… I don't know why I thought that…"

"I've never gotten around to it. It was mentioned to me while I was in rehab and my brothers have pushed off an on for a while. Do you know if there's an adaptive skiing program in Aspen? Maybe it's time to hit the slopes again…"

"I think there is, not sure what it's called though."

Auggie turned to his computer and after a quick Google search he found what he was looking for; a company called Challenge Aspen.

"Found it. I'll shoot them an email with a few questions and get back to you when I hear from them. I'd need to rent equipment for the weekend and book an instructor since I haven't tried sit skiing before. We'll have to see what they have available on such short notice. I'll also have to talk with Annie. Working freelance makes her schedule unpredictable."

"Great Auggie. Let me know as soon as possible, okay?"

"Will do."

Wilkins stood and left his office. Auggie leaned back with a sigh. He'd thought about looking into sit skiing from time to time, but time had never been right. He still wasn't sure about it, but he figured he'd at least ask Challenge Aspen some questions and check the availability of the necessary equipment and an instructor. He quickly wrote them an email and turned his attention back to the report he'd been working on when Wilkins entered his office.

* * *

**Reviews are loved and they feed the muse ;o)**

**Up next: Auggie gets back on the slopes and the wedding planning begins. **


	18. Chapter 18 (THIS IS A REWRITE)

**This is a _rewrite _of chapter 18. After I posted this chapter I got several DMs and reviews stating that you wished I would've written about A&A joining Auggie's family in Aspen, so I figured I'd give it a go. I just wanted to push the story forward and move to the wedding, that's why I didn't include it in the first version of this chapter. It was a mistake. As some of you have pointed out; it holds a big significance in Auggie's relationship with his family. I hope you approve of this new version. :o)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie or Auggie. Just love playing with them.**

* * *

**-Chapter 18-**

"So, are you ready to hit the slopes again tomorrow?" Annie asked Auggie as they unpacked their bags and got settled into their room at Big Bear in Aspen Friday afternoon.

"Yeah. I'm nervous about it, but also excited. I've missed skiing; I just haven't been ready to try sit skiing 'till now. I hope I get the hang of it pretty quickly so we can spend some time on the slopes together."

"I'm sure you will Auggie. You're in great shape," Annie said as she passed behind him and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Did Mike say when he and Sheryl wanted to meet us for dinner? I sort of feel like taking a nap; it has been a long day."

"At seven. They've booked a table for us in the restaurant downstairs. We have plenty of time for a nap; it's only four in the afternoon. A nap sounds tempting to me too." Auggie didn't manage to stifle a yawn. "So, what do you think of Wilk…eh…Mike?" Auggie struggled with using Wilkins' first name after using his last name for months at work.

"I actually like both him and his wife. I have a feeling you like him too, despite your rocky start?"

"Yeah, he was a real asshole to begin with, but I think he was insecure and was really thrown by the fact that I'm younger than him and disabled. I'm glad I gave him a second chance after the meeting with Arthur."

"So am I. Now I call naptime!" Annie said as she flopped down on the bed. "Oh wow!"

"What?" Auggie said as he pulled off his shoes and sweater.

"There's a feather bed on the bed. It's like sleeping on a cloud."

"Really? I don't think I've ever slept on a feather bed before. At least I can't remember it." Auggie said as he transferred to the bed and settled in next to Annie. "You're right, this is awesome."

Annie scooted over and curled up next to Auggie and soon they were slumbering.

* * *

The next day Auggie went to meet with his instructor from Challenge Aspen to have his first sit skiing lesson while Annie, Mike and Sheryl hit the slopes. Annie had wanted to go with Auggie, but he wanted to do the first lesson alone. He was well aware that it took a lot of time and practice to get a hang of sit skiing and he didn't want Annie to waste a day watching him fall and struggle. She'd tried to argue, but he hadn't budged. When it got close to noon Annie headed over to the café to meet Auggie for lunch. Mike and Sheryl were meeting with his family for lunch. When she entered the café she spotted Auggie and a young man she assumed was his instructor by a table by the windows and headed over there.

"Hey there, how'd it go?" Annie said as she wrapped her arms around Auggie's shoulders and hugged him from behind.

"Oh, hi," Auggie said, slightly startled by Annie's sudden appearance, he hadn't heard her coming. "It's not easy, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. I managed a run down the beginners slope without falling just before we headed over here. This is Eddie, my instructor. Eddie, meet my fiancée Annie."

Annie and Eddie shook hands and exchanged a few pleasantries before Annie headed over to the counter to grab some food.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

To Auggie's pleasure his progress on the slopes continued throughout the afternoon and by the end of the day he'd even managed a run on an intermediate slope without falling. He looked forward to the next day and put buying his own skiing equipment on the top of his list for when they returned to DC. When Annie and he returned to their room after dinner and then a few drinks in the hotel bar with Mike and Sheryl he was already looking forward to the next day.

"How do you feel about going here in a few weeks?" Auggie asked as he inserted his keycard into the lock and opened the door, gesturing for Annie to enter.

"Are you that eager to get back on the slopes?" Annie asked as she walked past Auggie and he followed her into the room and closed and locked the door behind them.

"I was thinking we could surprise my family. I had Mike check and they're booked to come here the first weekend in February. I know it's only three weeks away, but I'd like to join them this year."

"If you're game I'm game. I like spending time with your family, you know that." Annie gave his shoulder a squeeze as she walked over to the chair where her sleepwear was sitting.

"Great. I'll book our room when we check out on Sunday."

* * *

After a morning session with Eddie on Saturday he joined Annie, Mike and Sheryl and they spent the afternoon skiing together as a group. Auggie was really starting to get a hang of things and with each run he gained a little more confidence. When he pulled to a stop after his last run of the day he was grinning like the Cheshire cat. A few moments later Mike came up next to him, he placed his hand on Auggie's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Having fun?" he asked Auggie.

"A blast! Thanks for pushing me to hit the slopes again. I didn't let myself realize how much I missed skiing." Although it he'd missed skiing he hadn't realized how much he'd missed the feeling of flying down the slopes 'till he was back.

"How's sit skiing working out? You seem to be getting the hang of it."

"Harder than it looks actually. I can really feel it in my arms and shoulders. Can't imagine what it'd be like if I didn't work out on a regular basis. It's different than normal skiing, but I still get the wind and sun in my face, so it's good."

"Glad to hear it. Annie mentioned you're coming here again in a few weeks."

"Yeah, we're joining my family for the annual skiing weekend. I've talked with Eddie and reserved this equipment and we'll book a room when we check out tomorrow."

"That's awesome. I'm sure your family is happy you're joining them too."

"Oh, I haven't told them. We plan on surprising them."

"That should be fun. Now, I don't know about you but I'm starting to get cold and I'm hungry."

"Me too. I'm ready for a long, hot shower and some food. I just have to get my wheelchair and leave this at the rental place." Auggie gestured to the sit ski and checked the time. "Why don't we meet in the reception at seven?"

"Sounds good to me. Dad says the new steakhouse is great, how do you feel about trying it"

"Sounds good to me. Annie's not a huge steak eater, but I'm sure there's some chicken or a salad on the menu, right?"

"If not they're flexible and can bring something from the other restaurant, it's not a problem."

"Steakhouse it is then, will you take care of the reservation?"

"Sure. See you and Annie in the reception at seven." Mike released the bindings on his skis and slung them over his shoulder and walked toward the hotel while Auggie headed over to the service building.

* * *

Three weeks later Annie and Auggie found themselves back in Aspen. They had arrived just before noon and after checking in and settling in to their room at Big Bear they had headed over to Challenge Aspen to pick up Auggie's rented equipment and then they had spent a couple of hours on the slopes. After struggling a little for the first few runs Auggie had gotten the hang of it again and he felt pretty confident about skiing with his brothers. None of Auggie's family had any idea they were joining them or that Auggie was actually skiing again. He was equal parts nervous and excited about surprising them.

"So, are you ready to head downstairs?" Annie asked as she stepped out of the bathroom. They had taken a nap after their time on the slopes and now they were getting ready to join Auggie's family in the restaurant. As usual they had arrived in the afternoon and they were all having dinner together at 7:30.

"As ready as I can get, I suppose," Auggie said with a shrug as he pulled a grey V-neck sweater over his head. "Are you ready?"

"Yep. I can't wait to see how your family reacts," Annie said as she grabbed her clutch bag and draped a cardigan over her arm and followed Auggie out of the room.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

When they entered the restaurant none of the Anderson's had arrived yet. The hostess showed them to the table and they settled in. A few moments later Auggie's parents entered the room. They stopped short at the sight of Annie and Auggie sitting by the table.

"Au…auggie? What on earth are you doing here?" his mother stuttered out.

"Good to see you too Mom," Auggie replied with a cheeky grin.

"You think you're so funny," Carolyn laughed as she wrapped her arms around Auggie and hugged him. "This is a wonderful surprise."

Little by little the rest of Auggie's family arrived and they were all surprised and happy to see him and Annie there.

"Why didn't you guys tell us you were joining us?" Matt asked as he settled in next to Auggie a few minutes later.

"Telling you would've ruined the surprise," Auggie smirked. "We were here a three weeks ago with a co-worker of mine and his wife and made the arrangements then."

"You were here three weeks ago? With a co-worker?"

"Yeah, his parents actually own this place. He invited Annie and I to join them for the weekend. I took some sit-skiing lessons and I've rented equipment for this weekend too. We actually spent a couple of hours on the slopes this afternoon." Auggie smirked as he revealed that he was skiing again.

"Really Augs? That's great!" James exclaimed.

"I'm still learning, so don't expect me to hit the black slopes just yet. It takes a lot of practice."

"We're just happy that you're here and that you're skiing again Auggie," Josh said with a broad grin. "Heck, I'd be happy to be stuck in the beginners slope all weekend if it means skiing with you."

"For real?" Auggie had a hard time believing his action-loving brother would be happy with that.

"Yes Aug, for real," Josh confirmed. The rest of the family echoed his statement.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # #

The Andersons spent all of Saturday on the slopes. When Auggie and Annie returned to their room to shower and get ready for dinner he was tired, but happy. Annie noticed the look on his face.

"You look happy," she said as she sat down on the edge of the bed and started to take off her boots.

"I am. I'm really glad we went here this weekend. To me it feels like the whole family is finally getting some closure on what happened five years ago, and I feel like I'm really moving on too. It's a good feeling."

Annie nodded and grabbed Auggie's hand. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, before Auggie checked the time.

"Looks like we have time for a powernap before dinner. I know I could use one. Why don't you hit the shower while I get out of this skiing gear," he suggested to Annie.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Annie said as she draped her skiing pants over the chair in the corner and grabbed clean underwear and her PJs from her suitcase and headed into the bathroom while Auggie started to undress.

* * *

In the middle of March Auggie realized Annie and he needed to start planning their wedding. They'd talked loosely about things and they both had agreed on a rough plan, but it was time to make firm plans. He made a mental note to discuss it with Annie over dinner later that evening. A knock on his doorjamb pulled him back to the present. It was Shelley in the HR department.

"Hi Auggie, do you have a minute?" she asked.

"Sure, come on in and grab a chair. What can I do for you?"

"I got your email regarding Keith MacKenzie. He sounds like a perfect candidate for an internship, but I'm a bit surprised to have someone from Illinois apply for one here in DC. Why didn't he apply at our Chicago or Milwaukee office?"

A couple of days earlier he'd received an email from Keith, containing a scan of his mid-term report card. To Auggie's pleasure all of his grades were up and his GPA was at a solid 3.8. He was aiming for a 4.0 by graduation in late May.

"He's from my hometown, Glencoe. I met him during Christmas break. He was paralyzed in a diving accident last summer and I think a change of scenery this summer will be good for him. I've invited him to stay with Annie and me over the summer."

"I see. As long as he keeps his grades up he's in. Do you think starting June 1st is doable?"

"Shouldn't be a problem. Thanks Shelley," Auggie said with a wide smile.

"No problem Auggie. Remember we'll expect the same from him as every other intern," she said firmly.

"I'm well aware of that and I've made that perfectly clear to Keith too. He's a good kid."

"Great. Well, I need to get going. Thanks for your time Auggie. I'll get the paperwork ready for him to sign," Shelley said as she stood up.

"Thanks Shelley. I appreciate it."

"Any time. Have a nice weekend."

"You too Shelley. See you on Monday."

* * *

That weekend Annie and Auggie managed to finish most of the wedding planning. They sent inquiries to a several rental places to get price quotes and check availability for a big tent, tables, chairs and tableware for their wedding. They agreed that Auggie should ask a judge friend of his to marry them and they'd asked Annie's sister Danielle if she wanted to do the catering, which she was delighted to do. They agreed that Danielle's daughters should be bridesmaids and Danielle had promised to help Annie find a wedding dress and dresses for the girls.

While they were planning an idea started to form in Auggie's head. He wanted to surprise Annie by standing by the alter waiting for her. He hadn't been lying when he'd told her he was able to walk with the aid of crutches and braces a right after they'd met, but it was slow and took a lot of effort. Right after his accident he'd been hell bent on getting around that way, but after a while he had realized a wheelchair was more efficient and less straining on an everyday basis and as he'd gotten used to it he'd reserved the crutches and braces for his physical therapy sessions with Michelle a couple of times a week. He decided to work more intensely on it for the coming months.

* * *

**Hope you like this ****new version of this chapter. :o)**

**This changes the planned progress slightly:**

**The next chapter will cover Keith's arrival and the wedding. The honeymoon will be in the chapter following it.**

**Leave me a review and let me know what you think.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Without further ado I give you; the long awaited wedding. :o) As I've said before, I've never been to a wedding. This is based purely on stuff I've seen on TV. I've re-written it several times, this is the version I'm most happy with. I hope you like it.**

**DISCLAIMER: As usual, I don't own anything.**

* * *

**-Chapter 19-**

The last Saturday in May Auggie was at Reagan to pick up Keith, he'd graduated a couple of weeks earlier, with a GPA of 4.2 and he'd been Valedictorian of his class. Auggie had intended to go to Glencoe to attend his graduation, but the finishing a big project had taken more time than anticipated and he hadn't managed to get away. He had spoken to Keith a couple of times and he seemed very eager to get started on the internship at Murphy. Things were looking better for his parents, his father had just secured a full time job and his mother had been able to quit her second job. Auggie was happy that things seemed to be coming together for the MacKenzies.

After waiting for a few minutes Auggie was surprised when Keith appeared, he was in one of the airports loaner wheelchairs, a member of staff was following behind him with a large suitcase in tow.

"Hey Keith," Auggie greeted him. "What's going on?"

"Hi Auggie. The baggage handlers damaged my wheelchair," he sighed. "They're shipping over to some workshop or something. For now they've offered me this piece of crap."

Auggie exchanged a few words with the member of staff who confirmed what Keith was saying. His chair had been damaged and they'd send it to be fixed and then have it shipped over to Auggie's house.

"If you would just accompany us to my car you can take that chair back with you. I have a spare wheelchair at my house he can use."

"Of course Mr. Anderson."

* * *

About an hour later Auggie pulled into the garage where Annie was waiting with his spare wheelchair in front of her. Auggie had called her as they left Reagan and explained the situation and she had gotten it out of the storage area where it had been stashed since she'd recovered after her ankle injury a year earlier, filled the tires with air and wiped the dust off it.

"Hi Keith, nice to finally meet you," Annie said as she opened the front passenger door and placed the wheelchair next to Keith. "I'm Annie, Auggie's fiancée."

"Nice to meet you too Annie. Thanks for letting me stay with you," he said as he shook Annie's hand.

"No problem. Now, let's get inside and get you settled in. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I had a sandwich on the plane, but that's all I've eaten today."

"I'll show you the house and Auggie can whip up some lunch for us," Annie suggested, looking at Auggie who was getting Keith's suitcase and backpack out of the trunk of the car.

"Sounds good to me," Auggie said. "I'm getting hungry too."

* * *

A couple of weeks later Keith had settled in to life with Annie and Auggie. He was getting along well at work and had befriended a few of the other interns. Annie had been a bit hesitant about having him stay with them all summer, but things were going better than she'd feared. Keith kept to himself, either in his room or he was in the den playing video games or watching TV. With the wedding getting closer both Annie and Auggie were swamped in preparations and they were grateful for the help Keith provided. The were going to be away for about two weeks for their honeymoon and Keith's parents would come to DC to spend a week with him. Auggie had arranged so Keith had that week off work, so he could spend time with his parents.

* * *

With a nervous sigh Auggie secured the final piece of velcro on his braces and grabbed his tuxedo pants. After a hectic week of final preparations the day was finally here; the day he was marrying Annie. A few minutes later he tied the laces on his patent dress shoes, settled into his wheelchair and headed into the bathroom to make sure his hair wasn't a mess. Just as he was adjusting his bowtie there was a rap on the bedroom door.

"Yes?" Auggie answered as he turned and headed back to the bedroom. The door opened and Matt entered. He was Auggie's best man for.

"It's time Aug," he said. "Are you ready?"

"Yep. Lets get this show on the road," Auggie said with a broad smile. "I've been ready since I proposed to Annie in Paris."

Fifteen minutes later he was standing by the altar, waiting for Annie. When she came into view he was blown away. She was wearing a simple, ivory gown with an empire waist. The fabric seemed to be a flowy chiffon. Her hair was pulled up in a loose bun. Auggie was amazed by how strikingly beautiful she looked. She halted for a second when she saw Auggie standing by the altar, he saw her gasp, then she pulled herself together and a few moments later she was standing next to him.

"Surprise," he whispered as she wrapped her arm around his.

"No kidding. You're so tall," Annie laughed, looking up at Auggie's face. It was surreal to her that he was towering over her, he was about a foot taller than her.

"I hope you're okay with this. I really wanted to stand next to you up here," he said, his nervousness was evident.

"I love it," Annie assured him.

The ceremony went off without incidents; they exchanged their wows and rings and after a long and passionate kiss they made their way down the isle as Mr. and Mrs. August Anderson. Their families and friends soon surrounded them and they received hugs and congratulations before they slipped away for their appointment with a photographer to take their wedding photos.

"This is just perfect," Annie whispered to Auggie during dinner a while later. "I'm glad we didn't elope, it feels so right to share this day with our families and closest friends."

"I agree Mrs. Anderson," Auggie replied with a smile.

"You planned on eloping?" Annie's mother asked in disbelief. She was sitting next to Auggie and had overheard what Annie said.

"It briefly crossed our minds, but we realized we wanted to share the day with our loved ones," Auggie told his mother in-law. "I have to admit I sort of feared that Annie wanted a huge wedding. I wasn't comfortable with that at all."

"Well, I'm glad you talked it out and decided on sharing the day with us."

"So am I Amanda," Auggie said with a warm smile.

The rest of the evening was filled with the traditional stuff; cutting the cake, Annie and Auggie's first dance as a married couple and throwing the bouquet. At 11:30 they excused themselves and headed to the bedroom to change into more causal clothes and retrieve their baggage. Annie put on a knee-lenght summer dress in a floral pattern and Auggie put on a pair of khaki slacks and a light blue shirt.

They bid their guests goodbye and right before midnight newlyweds slipped into the limo Auggie had booked to take them to the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner where he'd booked them a suite for their wedding night. Their parents had promised to supervise the crews that were coming to clean up the backyard the following day and the MacKenzies had offered their help as well. They had arrived the day before and would spend the week with Keith. Annie curled up on the seat next to Auggie.

"So, Mr. Anderson…are you going to tell me where we're spending the night and more importantly our honeymoon?"

"Well Mrs. Anderson... We are spending the night at the Ritz-Carlton here in Tysons Corner and tomorrow morning we fly to Copenhagen. We're going on a 10-night cruise in Scandinavia and Russia."

"Really? That's totally unexpected, but I love it."

"Mom suggested a Caribbean cruise, but it wasn't that appealing to me. When I was browsing Royal Caribbean's website their cruises in Europe caught my attention. Since you said you haven't seen much of Scandinavia I figured it would be good for both of us. I'm glad you approve."

"It's perfect Auggie," Annie said as she placed a kiss on his lips. "Just as this day was perfect."

"I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about surprising you with standing by the altar. I hope I didn't shock you too much, I probably should've prepared you."

"It took me a second to remember that you told me you're able to walk with crutches and braces. I totally see why you don't get around like that on a daily basis, but it was really nice to have you standing next to me today. And I loved dancing with you."

"I loved dancing with you too," Auggie said with a warm smile. "Oh, we're here."

"I have to admit it feels sort of silly to stay at a hotel that's only a ten minute drive from our home."

"Ssssh! It's our wedding night. I don't want to spend it in a house filled with people. I want it to be just the two of us."

"I kind of like that idea," Annie said with a smile. "When does our flight leave tomorrow by the way?"

"At three in the afternoon. We can sleep in and take our time. The car will pick us up and take us to the airport at noon."

"You have thought of everything, haven't you?"

"I'd like to think so," Auggie said with a self-satisfied smile as the limo driver opened the door.

* * *

**Up next; THE HONEYMOON!**

**I decided t bring them to my neck of the woods since I'm familiar with the cities it's easier to write about them. I've never been in the Caribbean, so that would've been much harder to write. A **

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. :o)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry for taking so long to update this story. The muse have been disobedient lately. I had hoped to write a lot over my Christmas break, but that didn't happen.**

**Well, without further ado; here's Annie n Auggie's honeymoon - part 1. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything except my storyline.**

* * *

**-Chapter 20-**

"This is great," Annie said as they ate dinner the following evening. They were spending two nights in Copenhagen before the cruise started and they were both excited about exploring the Danish capital. Auggie had booked them a suite at the Radisson Blu Royal hotel. They'd arrived in Copenhagen at five in the afternoon and after they'd checked into their hotel they'd taken a quick nap before they'd freshened up and headed over to the Tivoli gardens to eat at restaurant Grøften.

"Yeah, I'm glad Dad recommended this place to us. The food is great and it's fun to try something local." Auggie's father had been to Copenhagen for a business trip a few months earlier and had recommended the restaurant that served traditional Danish food to them.

"I agree. It has always been one of my favorite things about travelling. I'm glad we have tomorrow to see some of the city before we start the cruise. We'll also have a couple of days in Stockholm at the end, right?"

"Yep. The cruise ends there. I've booked us a suite at the Grand Hotel, it's supposed to be the best hotel in the city."

"Wow! You've really gone all out with this trip, haven't you?"

"It's our honeymoon, I want it to be special," Auggie said with a warm smile. "Have you thought about what you want to do tomorrow?"

"I figured we could just take the day as it comes. Since neither of us have been here before it might be a good idea to just stroll around and take in the ambience of the city?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Auggie agreed.

"And just so you know; we could be staying at hostels and it would still be special."

* * *

A couple of days later Annie and Auggie were relaxing on the balcony outside their stateroom. It was an 'at sea' day and they'd arrive in St. Petersburg the next morning.

"I'm curious about something …" Annie started tentatively. She wasn't quite right

"About what? You know you can ask me anything."

"What caused you to sequester yourself after your accident? Did something happen?"

"I don't think there's a straight forward answer to that," Auggie said thoughtfully as he had a sip of his beer. "It wasn't really a conscious decision, it just sort of turned out that way. As I told you before I kicked my family out while I was in the hospital. I opted for a rehab center in Reston when I was discharged from the hospital in Denver and pretty much went at it alone. While I was in rehab I sold my condo in DC and bought the house. I moved in there when I finished rehab and then I ended up working from home. One thing led to another and at some point I realized I should change things; I just had no idea how to do it. It was just easier to stay within my comfort zone I guess," Auggie shrugged. "It wasn't until you came into my life things started to change."

"You have changed since we met; when I first met you were sullen and withdrawn. Remember how reluctant you were about going with me to the jazz club?"

Auggie nodded. "Yeah, but that was a really a turning point for me. The place was accessible and your friends were great. They treated me like an equal and didn't make me feel lesser."

"Auggie, you _are_ an equal," Annie said firmly. "And I'm glad you've realized that. "

Auggie didn't answer; he just smiled and had a sip of his beer. They sat in comfortable silence, holding hands, for a while.

"What made you decide to stand by the altar?" Annie asked a little later.

"Right after my accident I was hell bent on getting around with braces and crutches. I felt like it made me less of a cripple than the wheelchair. Problem is that it's very straining on my arms and shoulders. After while my physical therapist finally made me realize that it wasn't working; that I should use a wheelchair on a daily basis. At the time it felt like a major setback. It was hard."

"I can't imagine how hard that time of your life was for you honey," Annie said as she gave Auggie's hand a squeeze.

"Wasn't a picnic, that's for sure. Didn't take me long to get the hang of using a wheelchair and after I got used to it I realized it was the most sensible solution. I've used the braces and crutches during my physical therapy sessions with Michelle. It's good for my circulation to stand so…" Auggie shrugged. "Anyway…when we started to plan the wedding I figured it would be nice to stand next to you at the altar. My initial plan was to just stand at the altar with you, but use my wheelchair the rest of the day. As I worked on it I gained confidence and Michelle suggested I should walk down the isle with you and maybe even "dance". I was hesitant about that idea, wasn't feeling too confident about doing it in front of our family and friends."

"But Michelle persuaded you?"

"Not really. I thought about it for a few days and the idea grew on me. I decided to give it a go. Was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it in the end."

"Definitely," Annie said as she leaned over and kissed Auggie.

* * *

The following afternoon Annie was relaxing on one of the sunbeds on the top deck, enjoying a drink and reading a book. Auggie had complained about a headache and he'd taken some Tylenol and opted for a nap in their air-conditioned stateroom.

"Hi Annie, is this sunbed occupied?" The voice of Melissa, one of the women on their table pulled Annie back to reality.

"Oh, hi. No, it's not."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Annie said with a smile. Melissa and her husband Bradley were in their mid-thirties and had hit it off pretty well with Annie and Auggie. Most of the passengers were a lot older than them, so they'd been happy to find someone close to their own age. Melissa settled in on the sunbed and looked over at Annie.

"Where's Auggie?" she asked.

"In our stateroom. He had a bit of a headache and decided to take a nap."

"Oh, I hope he feels better soon."

"I'm sure a couple of Tylenol and a nap will take care of it. It usually does."

"That's good. So, how long have you been together?"

"I met him about two years ago, I was assigned to work with him. We became friends pretty much immediately and after a couple of months he asked me out. We got engaged in Paris last summer."

"But Auggie said it has been little over five years since his accident?"

"That's right," Annie confirmed in a puzzled tone. She didn't understand what Melissa was getting at.

"So he was in a wheelchair when you met?"

"Yeah, he was."

"And you still chose him?"

"Yes I did," Annie said firmly. She didn't like the direction the conversation was taking. "Why?"

"It's just that…well…you're a beautiful, intelligent woman that could have any man you want. I really don't understand why you'd choose a disabled man."

"Because he's smart, funny, empathic…the best man I've ever met. I'm so lucky to have him as a husband." Annie tried her best to not raise her voice, but it was obvious from both the tone of her voice and the expression on her face that she was upset.

"I didn't mean to upset you Annie. I sometimes don't think before I speak and I'm a curious person by nature," Melissa said apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I don't like having to explain mine and Auggie's relationship."

"I get that," Melissa said, and then she changed the subject. "You're a travel writer, right?"

"Freelance yes. I'm also a certified translator. Lately I've been doing more translating than travel writing. I don't like being away from Auggie." Annie chuckled. She still felt a bit uneasy about the conversation she'd just had with Melissa, but she seemed to be genuinely sorry and Annie decided to let it go for now.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Almost two hours later Annie looked up caught the sight of Auggie heading down the deck toward her. After a quick dip in the pool Annie had settled back on the sunbed. The sight of her handsome husband brought a smile to Annie's face; he was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a plain blue t-shirt that enhanced his tan. He had his Ray-Ban Aviators on and the light sea breeze was ruffling his hair. When he caught the sight of her a broad smile spread across his face and he moved a bit faster.

"Hey handsome. How's your head?"

"Much better. Tylenol and a nap helped," Auggie said with a smile as he transferred from his wheelchair to the sunbed that Melissa had vacated half an hour earlier. He pulled his t-shirt off and threw it onto the seat of the wheelchair. Annie couldn't help but admire his toned upper body as he adjusted the angle of the back on the sunbed.

"Enjoying the view?" Auggie said with a smirk as he got settled in and put his sunglasses back on.

"Always babe, always," Annie replied as she reached over and grabbed his hand. "I'm glad you're feeling better. Melissa kept me companied for a while, but I missed you."

"I missed you too," Auggie said as he gave Annie's hand a squeeze.

"Well, I'm glad you're here now."

They lay there in silence for a few moments, enjoying the surprisingly warm weather. It was Auggie that broke the silence; he could sense that Annie was upset about something.

"I have a feeling something is bothering you. Care to share?"

Annie sighed and moved to lie on her side so she was facing Auggie.

"Just some things Melissa said… I don't need to bother you with it."

"Was it about me?"Auggie asked sadly. "She wanted to know why a beautiful woman like you chose to be with a cripple, right?"

"She didn't use the word cripple, but basically that was the question…" Annie's voice trailed off.

"What did she say?"

"She asked how long we'd known each other and when she realized that I'd gotten to know you after your accident she was really surprised. God…I really hate when people question our relationship like that."

"So do I love, but I'm afraid it comes with the territory. What did you tell her?"

"I know that, but I still hate it. I told her the truth; you're the best man I've ever known and I feel lucky that you chose me."

Auggie smiled warmly at Annie and gave her hand a squeeze. "What did she say to that?"

"She apologized for upsetting me and told me she had a habit of speaking before thinking."

"No kidding! She's made a few foot-in-mouth comments at dinner over the past couple of days too," Auggie chuckled. "Did you accept her apology?"

"Yeah. She seemed sincere enough and we still almost a week left of the cruise. We don't need to be shooting daggers at each other over dinner every day. And it's not like we have to stay in touch with her and Bradley when we get home if we don't want to."

Auggie nodded in agreement and Annie leaned over and kissed him. They spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in the sunshine on the deck.

* * *

**I hope the wait is shorter for the next chapter, which will cover the final part of A&A's honeymoon.**

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. :o)**


	21. Chapter 21

**This chapter came together faster than I anticipated. When I started writing it thing sort of flowed. It's a bit short, but it felt like a natural place to stop.**

**Thanks for the reviews to the previous chapter. :o) **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or Covert Affairs.**

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**-Chapter 21-**

"As much as I loved the cruise, I have to admit I'm looking forward to a couple of days with just the two of us," Annie said as they settled into their suite at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm.

"So do I love," Auggie said with a smile. "That ship was starting to feel a bit too crowded, I was getting tired of only getting alone time in our stateroom."

"Do you remember anything from when you visited here with your family when you were a kid?"

"Not much. I remember thinking the Vasa ship was awesome and we went to this amusement park not far from there; other than that I don't remember much. I was only 10 at the time."

"I know Aug. I guess we can just take the same approach as in Copenhagen. I'd really like to see Old Town, but apart from that I don't really have any preferences."

"Old Town isn't far from here you know, it's just across the bay, sort of behind the Royal Palace. Maybe we should head over there and see if we can find somewhere to have lunch?" Auggie suggested.

"How about we have lunch in the bar downstairs and then head over there? I doubt we'll be able to find somewhere accessible to eat in Old Town. From the pictures I've seen it looks like it's a bit of an accessibility nightmare, kind of like the Montmartre area in Paris."

"Oh, right…" Auggie's shoulders slumped a bit.

"What's wrong honey? And don't say nothing."

"I just hate holding you back," Auggie sighed. "And I don't like it when I'm reminded of my limitations. It's not something I think about on a daily basis you know."

"Oh Auggie, you're not holding me back! Don't even go there."

"Annie…"

"No Auggie. Just no. We're not going there. You're not going there. Now, let's head downstairs and grab some lunch before we explore the city."

"Thanks love," Auggie said and pulled Annie down to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her and then kissed her gently. "I still don't understand what I did to deserve you."

"Ditto," Annie said with a grin as she got to her feet and grabbed her bag after kissing Auggie one last time. Auggie followed her down the hall to the elevator with a smile on his face; Annie's ability to pull him out of his dark spots never ceased to amaze him.

* * *

On their second and last evening in Stockholm Annie and Auggie decided to eat in the restaurant at the hotel. They had spent the day exploring the city, neither of them had any preferences to things they wanted to do so they'd ended up randomly strolling around and they had picked up gifts for their nieces and nephews.

After a three-course dinner consisting of traditional Swedish cuisine they headed over to the hotel bar. It was a Saturday nigh, but the place was fairy quiet, there were about 20 other guests there, so Annie and Auggie were able to snag a table by the windows. Augge surprised Annie by transferring from his wheelchair to sit on the couch instead of asking her to move one of the armchairs across the table out of the way. After moving his wheelchair out of the way Annie sat down next to Auggie, who wrapped his arm around her.

"I've missed having you next to me on the couch, so figured we could take advantage the opportunity," Auggie said in a way of an explanation when he sensed Annie's puzzlement. Annie grabbed a menu off the table and snuggled closer to him."Good thinking honey."

What looks good?" Auggie asked as he gave Annie's shoulders a squeeze.

"The 'Luxury Mojito' looks fab I think. I love Mojitos, and adding champagne sounds like a great idea."

Auggie agreed and when a waitress appeared with a bowl of peanuts and chips and two glasses water he ordered 'Luxury Mojitos' for them both.

"How do you feel about kids?" Auggie asked Annie a little later in the evening. A pianist has started playing and a few more guests had arrived, but they were still seated far enough away from the other guests to have a somewhat private conversation.

"It's not something I've put a lot of thought into to be honest, but I guess I've always imagined having a kids at some point. How about you?"

"I've always wanted kids. After my accident one of my biggest fears was that I wouldn't be able to be a father. You know how I said told you a long time ago that I was grateful that my injuries weren't worse?"

"Yeah?" Annie remembered a conversation she and Auggie a few weeks into their friendship.

"One of the things I'm most grateful for is that things still work 'downstairs'. I'm aware that sex with me is different than if my legs were working, but we've figured it out."

"Yes we have," Annie said as she snuggled closer to Auggie. Truth to be told she had been insecure the first time she and Auggie had sex, but after a few awkward moments they had figured things out. "So, are you trying to tell me that you want me to go off the pill and start trying to get pregnant?"

"It'd like that, yes, but it's not my decision to make, we need to agree. I can understand if you don't want to have children with me."

"Auggie! I don't have any reservations about your ability to be great parent. I'm sure you'll be the greatest Dad in the world. I'd love to have children with you, so if you're ready I'm game."

A bright smile spread across Auggie's face. "Really? You're ready for a little Auggie or a little Annie?"

"Yes, I think I am."

Auggie got the waiters attention and ordered a glass of champagne for each of them.

"I'd order a bottle, but we've already had a few drinks and champagne usually gives me killer hangovers. I don't feel like travelling with a hangover."

"Good thinking Auggie. You know, this feels like a perfect end of a perfect honeymoon. I can't believe we're going home tomorrow."

"Back to the grind," Auggie sighed. "I wonder how Keith's been getting along while we've been gone. Since we haven't heard from him I suppose there has been no big disasters."

"I suppose so. His parents have gone back to Illinois, right?"

"Yeah, they left a week ago. I actually think it has been good for him to be alone for a week. He's had to do everything for himself and I hope it has taught him that he's capable of more than he thought he was."

"We'll find out when we get home tomorrow. What happened with his wheelchair by the way? I was so caught up in all the wedding preparations that I never caught what happened."

"Oh, his old one couldn't be fixed. I went back and forth with the airline a bit and they agreed to pay for a new one and to pay a compensation for the inconvenience. It wasn't enough to pay for a good chair though, so I loaned him a couple of grand. He should have his new chair by now."

"That's good. It all worked out then."

The waitress arrived with their champagne and refilled their water glasses. She offered to refill their snacks as well, but they declined and asked for the check instead.

"Cheers to our new life together – and hopefully an addition to the family," Annie said as she raised her glass.

"Cheers love, for many happy years to come."

**-The end-**

* * *

**I figured this was a natural place to end the story. Some of you have expressed that interest in reading about Annie and Auggie becoming parents and more about their future together and I'm considering writing a sequel. Please let me know if you're interested in a review or a PM. It might kick the muse into gear. ;o) I think I'll focus on wrapping up some of the other stories I've got hanging before I start a new one though.**


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